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The new Sexual Experiences Survey-Victimization (SES-V) was designed to capture a larger range of sexual exploitation and to be applicable to more diverse populations than prior measures. This study represents the first administration of the SES-V in a national sample of adults (N = 347). Participants were recruited from a crowdsourcing platform and selected to reflect the national distribution in terms of age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Rates of sexual exploitation since age 14 were very high in this sample (90%), providing evidence that the SES-V was successful in capturing experiences on the low end of the severity continuum. Using the items corresponding to the FBI definition of rape, 60% of women and 29% of men endorsed rape on the SES-V. Compared to men, women reported higher rates of sexual exploitation overall, and higher rates of every type of sexual exploitation except technology-facilitated. The new SES-V also asks participants to estimate the number of separate instances of four types of sexual exploitation that they have experienced; results provided support for the value of these incident estimates in understanding the scope of sexual exploitation. Finally, this study evaluated new sexual acts and exploitative tactics that were added to the SES-V and found that they demonstrated utility and validity. These findings offer preliminary support for the validity and functionality of the SES-V, although the high prevalence of sexual exploitation on the SES-V is discussed as both a strength and limitation. Future research should evaluate prevalence and demographic differences in a larger national sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virgin young adult men (VYAM) are often stigmatized for deviating from the social clock. Despite the importance of media in young adults' lives, few studies have examined media representations of VYAM, and none have yet examined the numerous memes about virgin adults. Memes are sets of visual and cultural elements diffused and replicated on the internet. An increasing number of studies reveal the importance of memes in youth identity construction through the memorable messages they often convey. This is especially prominent for communities whose values or behaviors (or, in the case of VYAM, lack thereof) diverge from mainstream tendencies, such as the social clock. While memes are abundant online discursive tools, they tend to reproduce stereotypes and misrepresent marginalized groups. The objective of the present exploratory study was to describe the memetic representations of virgin young adult men (VYAM) published on the platform 9GAG, which is particularly popular among VYAM. Our hybrid analytical strategy combined content analysis, textual analysis, and tenets of dialectical team-coding, taking inspiration from a past study on media representations of VYA—both men and women—in films and TV series. A sample of 47 memes showed the emergence of three categories grouping 10 VYAM profiles: (1) virginity as a mark of belonging (the integrated and the notorious virgin), (2) virginity as a subjective experience (the voluntary, the sublimated, the naive, and the subversive virgin), and (3) virginity as a burden (the stigmatized, the resigned, the anxious, and the gender double standard-affected virgin). The different profiles support stigma and self-determination discourses relative to virginity experiences. This study sheds light on the stigma surrounding sexual inexperience in adulthood in the memetic culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of a Finnish nationally representative student sample found that subjective reactions to first intercourse (mostly heterosexual; usually in adolescence) were highly positive for boys and mostly positive for girls, whether involved with peers or adults (Rind, 2022). The present study examined the generality of these findings by examining subjective reactions to first coitus (heterosexual intercourse) in a German nationally representative sample of young people (data collected in 2014). Most first coitus was postpubertal. Males reacted mostly positively and uncommonly negatively in similar fashion in all age pairings: boy–girl (71% positive, 13% negative); boy–woman (73% positive; 17% negative); man–woman (73% positive, 15% negative). Females' reactions were more mixed, similar in the girl–boy (48% positive; 37% negative) and woman–man (46% positive, 36% negative) groups, but less favorable in the girl–man group (32% positive, 47% negative). In logistic regressions, adjusting for other factors, rates of positive reactions were unrelated to age groups. These rates did increase, in order of importance, when participants were male, their partners were close, they expected the coitus to happen, and they affirmatively wanted it. Reaction rates were computed from the Finnish sample, restricting cases to first coitus occurring in the 2000s, and then compared to minors' reactions in the German sample. The Finns reacted more favorably, similarly in both minor–peer and minor–adult coitus, with twice the odds of reacting positively. It was argued that this discrepancy was due to cultural differences (e.g., Finnish culture is more sex-positive). To account for the reaction patterns shown in the adolescent–adult coitus, sizably at odds with expectations from mainstream professional thinking, an evolutionary framework was employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although mechanisms of mate preference are thought to be relatively hard-wired, experience with appetitive and consummatory sexual reward has been shown to condition preferences for partner related cues and even objects that predict sexual reward. Here, we reviewed evidence from laboratory species and humans on sexually conditioned place, partner, and ejaculatory preferences in males and females, as well as the neurochemical, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms putatively responsible. From a comprehensive review of the available data, we concluded that opioid transmission at μ opioid receptors forms the basis of sexual pleasure and reward, which then sensitizes dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin systems responsible for attention, arousal, and bonding, leading to cortical activation that creates awareness of attraction and desire. First experiences with sexual reward states follow a pattern of sexual imprinting, during which partner- and/or object-related cues become crystallized by conditioning into idiosyncratic "types" that are found sexually attractive and arousing. These mechanisms tie reward and reproduction together, blending proximate and ultimate causality in the maintenance of variability within a species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little data on what influences posttraumatic growth for women who experienced non-consensual sexual contact (NCSC) as an undergraduate college student. The purpose of this study is to garner a better understanding of posttraumatic growth among women-identifying survivors of undergraduate NCSC by addressing the following aims: 1) evaluate the mediating role of NCSC-related shame on the relationship between perceived peer rape myth acceptance and posttraumatic growth (n = 174); and 2) evaluate the shared and independent variance contributions of mental health symptoms and trauma history clusters on posttraumatic growth (n = 151).NCSC-related shame did not mediate the relationship between perceived peer rape myth acceptance and posttraumatic growth. Mental health symptoms and trauma history significantly contributed to 35.27% of posttraumatic growth variance, with the trauma history cluster significantly influencing posttraumatic growth scores beyond mental health symptoms. Based on these findings, it is important that clinicians assess for a history of trauma and the impact of that trauma in addition to mental health symptoms when trying to understand posttraumatic growth after campus sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First sex is an important event in an individual's sexual development. Previous literature has, however, primarily investigated first heterosexual sex, overlooking important contextual factors specific to same-sex/gender sexual experiences. Seventeen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority (LGB+) individuals, ages 18–23 years. Four themes emerged from thematic analysis of reported thoughts, affect, and behavior. First, participants reported difficulty defining sex between same-sex/gender partners, especially women who reported that this undermined their personal relationships and identity. Second, participants met partners through several means; however, it was almost exclusively men who reported meeting their first partners online. Third, motivations for first same sex/gender sex included affirmation of personal sexual identity, sexual exploration, social expectation, and spontaneity. Fourth, participants felt underprepared for their first same-sex/gender sex, noting that their earlier sex and relationship education had not included information on same-sex/gender sex or LGB+ identities. Consequently, participants reported relying on experienced partners and seeking information on the internet, including pornography and social media. Greater cultural representation and more comprehensive sex education that recognizes sexual diversity is needed to better prepare LGB+ young people for early sexual encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early sexual debut has been a focus of social scientific research due to its association with adverse circumstances and negative outcomes. However, there has been a recent shift to considering not only chronological age, but also the degree to which the event is viewed to be optimally timed (i.e., the perception that it occurred at the "right time" versus too soon). The purpose of this study was to assess how individual/family background variables and contextual aspects of the experience (including partner and relationship aspects) are associated with both the actual age at sexual debut and the perceived acceptability of the timing of the event. Using data collected from students at a U.S. university between 1990 and 2019 (N = 6,430), several factors (in addition to chronological age) were associated with the perceived acceptability of the timing of sexual debut. Strong gender differences were found – women perceived their timing to be less acceptable, even though they did not differ from men in actual age at sexual debut. Other robust predictors of perceived acceptability included (lower) religious involvement and recalling desire (for the experience), pleasure, and lower guilt at the time. Only slight changes occurred over the 30-year period in age at sexual debut and perceived acceptability of the timing. Suggestions for future research are provided and implications for sex education/sexual health interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to explore first sex experiences in lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals (LGB) using the Virginity Beliefs Framework (Carpenter, 2001; Humphreys, 2013; Eriksson & Humphreys, 2014). The specific focus was on LGB individuals who have had both a sexual experience with a member of a different sex and a member of the same sex. This phenomenon is what the current study is defining as second virginity loss. Participants consisted of 275 self-identified LGB individuals; the sample was approximately half women (57%) between the ages of 18 and 56. Further, six semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a clearer understanding of LGB individuals first sex experiences. Two primary research questions were proposed: (1) how do the virginity belief frames map onto the two "first" sexual experiences of LGB individuals? and (2) are there differences in the virginity belief frames between the two "first" times? Results found that LGB individuals hold stronger process beliefs than gift or stigma beliefs for both of their "first" times. The qualitative interviews suggested that the process of understanding virginity was enmeshed with a larger exploration, and eventual validation, of sexual identity. There was also a significant drop in the strength of some of the gift, process, and stigma beliefs from different-sex experience to same-sex experience for many in the gay and bisexual samples, but not in the lesbian sample. The current study is the first to explore the phenomenon of second virginity loss in LGB individuals and could be used as a foundation for future research on LGB first sexual experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While researchers have thoroughly studied the who, what, and when of first sexual experiences, we know much less about how people construct, experience, and proceed (or not) with sexual pleasure in these experiences and beyond. To address this knowledge gap, the Global Advisory Board for Sexual Health and Wellbeing (GAB) coordinated a rapid review of published peer-reviewed research to determine what is currently known about sexual pleasure in first sexual experiences. We found 23 papers exploring this subject and its intersections with sexual health and sexual rights. The results reveal significant gaps in erotic education, gender equity, vulnerability and connection, and communication efficacy; and highlight important domains to consider in future research. Our findings draw out the key features of pleasurable first sexual experience(s), namely that individuals with the agency to formulate their definition and context of what pleasure means to them are more likely to experience pleasure at first sex. This finding points to promising ways to improve first sexual experiences through erotic skills building and through addressing knowledge gaps about having sex for the first time among disadvantaged groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although age at first sex is considered a measure of sexual risk and vulnerability for HIV infection, there is a dearth of literature on age at sexual debut in the Canadian context. This study examined time variations to first sex among heterosexual African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) men in four Ontarian cities. A population-based retrospective survey (n = 879) on timing to first sexual intercourse was conducted between 2018 and 2019 among self-identified heterosexual ACB men 16 years or older and residing in London, Ottawa, Toronto or Windsor. We used the lognormal survival analysis technique to examine variations in time to first sexual intercourse among age cohorts and between cities. The findings showed a generational shift in the pattern of sexual initiation, with younger heterosexual ACB men initiating sexual intercourse earlier compared with those currently older than 50 years. We observed those between 16 and 19 years, 20 and 29 years, and 30 and 39 years of age to have significantly higher risk ratios of TR = 0.852, TR = 0.869, and TR = 0.855, respectively. At city level, the results show marked spatial variations, with youth in cities of Toronto, Ottawa, and London at the highest risk of early sexual debut relative to those in Windsor. Early initiation of first sexual intercourse among heterosexual ACB youth was observed with those in the larger cities being at a relatively higher risk. There is the need for programs aimed at delaying sexual debut among youth in general. It is, however, important to recognize the relative risk of those in the larger cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a mixed methods approach this study compared young people's reflections on their initial experience of coitus, exploring similarities and differences from a gender perspective, with regard to a reported desire to change, or not change, any aspect of the event. The sample population was comprised of 318 university students in the northeastern region of the United States (women n = 200, men n = 118). Thematic analysis was used to evaluate the open-ended question, "If you could go back in time to your first sexual intercourse, would you want to change anything? If so, what would you change and why?" Responses were subsequently transformed into quantitative measures for additional analyses. T-tests or chi-square tests were conducted to evaluate gender differences. Notable findings included a majority of both males (66.95%) and females (54.00%) reporting they would not want to change anything about their first coital experience. Among respondents who reported a desired change the three primary desired change themes were partner (15.72%), age (8.18%), and location (5.03%), although the percentages differed by gender. Qualitative responses to the most frequently reported desired change categories are presented to contextualize the quantitative data. The novelty of understanding what young people would change about their first sexual intercourse provides important contextual information to the research on the feelings experienced at first coitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on third party reactions to (transgressive) sexual encounters has frequently bypassed the question of how observers categorize such encounters as normal sexual experience, sexual violence, or potentially as something else. In the present study, we investigated the ways in which participants made sense of a nonconsensual sexual encounter between a man (i.e., the initiating party) and either a male or a female student (i.e., the targeted party). We specifically focused on how participants utilized sexual scripts and gender stereotypes to describe what happened and as a means of attributing responsibility to the actors. Using the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations (ATSS) technique, 52 Dutch participants (26 men and 26 women) responded aloud to a vignette. Data were analyzed using discourse analysis as employed in discursive psychology. The findings demonstrated that participants constructed the event described in the vignette as normal while depicting the targeted party as abnormal and accountable. Participants strategically employed sexual scripts and gender stereotypes to describe the event as predictable and not serious and the initiating party's actions as in little need of explanation. The targeted party was positioned as detached from this "objective reality" and was held accountable for neither following nor sufficiently breaking with the script. In consequence, the event was rendered nonthreatening. Our results illustrated the ways in which predominant discourses influence interpretations of encounters as transgressive or "just" sex, having important implications for those who seek to share their experiences of sexual violation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although mechanisms of mate preference are thought to be relatively hard-wired, experience with appetitive and consummatory sexual reward has been shown to condition preferences for partner related cues and even objects that predict sexual reward. Here, we reviewed evidence from laboratory species and humans on sexually conditioned place, partner, and ejaculatory preferences in males and females, as well as the neurochemical, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms putatively responsible. From a comprehensive review of the available data, we concluded that opioid transmission at μ opioid receptors forms the basis of sexual pleasure and reward, which then sensitizes dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin systems responsible for attention, arousal, and bonding, leading to cortical activation that creates awareness of attraction and desire. First experiences with sexual reward states follow a pattern of sexual imprinting, during which partner- and/or object-related cues become crystallized by conditioning into idiosyncratic “types” that are found sexually attractive and arousing. These mechanisms tie reward and reproduction together, blending proximate and ultimate causality in the maintenance of variability within a species.

Research has focused on adolescents' feelings about their first sexual experiences, but little research has examined this topic in sexual minority adolescents. In this study, we examined how experiencing emotional and physical satisfaction at first same-sex anal sex differed by age of first sex for young gay and bisexual men. We applied the time-varying effect model to data from an Internet survey of men who initiated first sex between ages 14–26 (n = 6401) to examine emotional and physical satisfaction at first same-sex anal sex across continuous age of onset and by partner factors. The majority of men reported satisfaction across all ages; however, satisfaction was generally less likely for men who had first anal sex with a non-relationship partner, an older partner, or a partner they had sex with only once and this was particularly true at earlier ages. Findings suggest that many young gay and bisexual men report satisfaction with their first anal sex and that relationship context can be important in predicting satisfaction, particularly at younger ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For men with nonconsensual sexual experience (NSEs) histories, sexual shame may play a critical role in their sexual responses. Through online surveys, the current study examined sexual shame in the sexual excitation and inhibition responses of men with NSE histories who both do (identifiers; n = 255) and do not identify (non-identifiers; n = 239) their NSEs with sexual violence labels (e.g., rape) and men with no NSEs (n = 289). Regardless of identification, men with NSEs reported greater sexual shame than men with no NSEs and higher levels of excitatory (e.g., arousability) and inhibitory (e.g., inhibitory cognitions) domains of sexual response propensities. Sexual shame predicted inhibitory domains of sexual response for all of the men. NSE history and identification moderated the relationship between sexual shame and arousability. Sexual shame had a stronger positive association with arousability for both identifiers and those with no NSEs than non-identifiers. The results provide support for the role of sexual shame in men's sexual response and suggest sexual shame is an important target for interventions with men with NSEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated initial engagement in oral sex and sexual intercourse, as well as number of sexual partners, among a prospectively followed sample of adolescent girls with and without a thorough childhood diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants were adolescent girls (ages 12–19) followed longitudinally as part of a study of ADHD in females. A diverse sample of 140 girls with clinician-diagnosed ADHD (47 inattentive, 93 combined) and 88 age- and ethnicity-matched comparison girls were initially recruited and invited to partake in research summer programs. We utilized data on initial engagement in oral sex, sexual intercourse, and number of sexual partners, collected during follow-up interviews conducted 5 and 10 years after baseline participation. Girls with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD engaged in oral sex at a significantly younger age and reported nearly twice as many oral sex partners than their typically developing peers. Post hoc tests revealed that group differences were driven largely by girls with the combined presentation of ADHD (i.e., those with childhood histories of both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity). No significant differences emerged with respect to age of initial sexual intercourse or number of male sexual intercourse partners. In sum, adolescent girls with ADHD, particularly those with the combined presentation, were more likely to engage in oral sexual activity at a young age and with a greater number of both male and female partners. Findings highlight the need for longitudinal research that quantifies and distinguishes between various forms of sexual behavior and later reproductive and mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are at high risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including at first sexual intercourse. The literature is scarce on factors influencing use of protective strategies at this critical time. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions with purposively sampled AGYW aged 16–20 years who reported first sex while enrolled in a larger cohort study and willing to participate. All AGYW were counseled on HIV prevention and had access to reproductive health information and services. Data collected were transcribed, translated and analyzed thematically. We identified two approaches to first sex. In one approach, the AGYW facilitated protection use, and those AGYW reported intention and preparation to initiate sexual activity and ability to request condom use, as well as their male partner's willingness to use and provide condoms. In another approach, AGYW experienced first sexual intercourse without agency (the feeling of control over actions and their consequences [Moore, 2016]) and described lack of prior intentions and planning, discomfort with discussions about sex and condom use, and desire to experience sexual pleasure as reported by peers. No AGYW mentioned parents/adults as playing any role as facilitators of protection use at first sex, highlighting the need for further research on the missing gap. The AGYW were trusting of verbal reports by male partners describing themselves as having never engaged in sex, HIV negative, and free of STIs. We found that some AGYW were empowered to plan, discuss, and request protection at first sex, and others did not take agency. First sex is a time of vulnerability where innovative strategies are needed to strengthen AGYW's agency and promote condom use and other HIV/STI prevention methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships, based on a nationally representative sample of Republic of Ireland adults in 2004-2005, was used to examine adult adjustment in individuals who had their first sexual intercourse as a minor with an adult. Participants were classified into one of four groups based on their age at first intercourse and their partner's age: minors under 18 with peers; minors under 16 with adults; minors 16 to 17 with adults; and adults with adults. Adjustment (health, general relationships, satisfaction with most recent sexual partner, self-confidence, education and career achievement, and sexual problems) was compared across groups separately by gender. The vast majority of cases involved postpubertal heterosexual coitus. Overall, minors involved with adults were not significantly less well adjusted than adults involved with other adults on a majority of measures, effect size differences in adjustment were mostly small, and mean adjustment responses consistently indicated good rather than poor adjustment. Sex differences in first-intercourse characteristics and reasons for engaging reliably occurred for all age groups. In general, males compared to females were more willing, wanted more to lose their virginity, felt more ready for it, did it more often on the spur of the moment, and were less often involved in a relationship or in love when it occurred. Sex differences were greatest for boys versus girls under 16 with adults. Mediation and moderator analyses were also performed. Results were discussed in relation to competing perspectives on the effects of minor-adult sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early age at first sex experience has been attributed to medical and psychological consequences, including practice of risk behaviors and HIV infection later in life. Studies have examined early heterosexual experience, but little is known about early anal sexual experience among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Africa. We conducted a time to event analysis to examine the extent and role of early anal sexual experience and HIV risk and infection in the largest MSM survey in Africa. A total of 753 MSM with a mean age of 26.5 years and that at first anal sexual experience of 18.3 years participated. Of those who participated, 29.0% (219/753) had their first anal sexual experience at age below 15. MSM reporting early anal sexual experience were young, had men as first sexual partner (adjusted hazard ratio-AHR, 4.75; 95%CI: 3.51-6.43), assumed receptive position during last anal sex (AHR, 3.25; 95%CI: 2.42-4.35), had anal sex as first penetrative sexual experience (AHR, 5.05, 95%CI; 3.68-6.97), had unprotected first anal sex (AHR, 1.55, 95%CI: 1.03-2.33), not preferring women for sex (AHR, 2.78; 95%CI: 2.11-3.67), had non-consensual first sex (AHR, 1.53, 95%CI: 1.10-9.41), and HIV positive (AHR, 1.75; 95%CI: 1.21-2.50). A third of MSM engaged in anal sex at an early age and were more likely to report sexual abuse, practice HIV risk behaviors, and been HIV seropositive. Roll-out of the existing Comprehensive Guideline for HIV Treatment and Care for key population in Tanzania should be implemented alongside measures addressing sexual abuse among young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex education (SE) remains a subject of debate, including controversies on resources. The purpose of this paper was to determine the main SE resource during adolescence and its associations with personal characteristics and sexual behaviors of youths. Data were obtained from a self-administrated Swiss national survey on sexuality among young adults (mean age 26.3). Participants (N = 4978) were divided into six groups according to their main SE resource during their adolescence: Friends (1939; 38.9%), Parents (1361; 27.3%), School (n = 949; 19.1%), The Internet (399; 8.0%), Nobody (172; 3.5%) and Other (157; 3.2%). Groups were compared on sociodemographic, first sexual experiences, pregnancy, risky sexual behaviors, and undesired sexual experiences data. Males and non-heterosexual participants were overrepresented in the Internet group while, females more often reported their parents as their main SE resource. Participants in the School group reported the lowest rates of sexually transmitted infections and Friends the highest. Compared to the School group, those in the Friends, Internet, Nobody, and Other groups were more likely to report undesired sexual experiences. Few differences appeared between parents and school. Even though some resources such as friends or the Internet presented negative outcomes when they were assessed individually, we cannot deny the important place that they occupy in the lives of some youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates that bringing the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method (BNIM) to disability studies, under a qualitative narrative approach, promises to further develop the field. The article shows the effectiveness of the interviewing techniques of the method in facilitating the voice of marginalised minority groups and in particular disabled women. The approach supports inclusive research which goes beyond the practice of classifying and pathologising bodies with impairments, as is common in mainstream medical research which seeks to cure, modify and normalise people who are situated as docile and 'abnormal' human beings. Comments that were proffered by disabled women themselves indicate that the interviewing techniques of the BNIM create a platform for those who are located at the margins of society to play an active part in the co-construction of knowledge in academic circles, in a scenario which answers the question posed by Spivak (1988). Can the subaltern speak? Marxism and the interpretation of culture. New York, NY: Columbia University Press). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinsey's prison male same-sex sample (consisting of prisoners who were gay, bisexual, or had had extensive postpubertal same-sex sex regardless of sexual attractions) was compared with Kinsey's general (i.e., non-prison) same-sex sample (previously analyzed by Rind and Welter, 2016) in terms of reactions to and characteristics of first postpubertal same-sex sex, with a focus on minor-adult contacts. Prison participants had a minor-adult contact as their first postpubertal same-sex sex twice as often as general participants, and their experience involved penetration in three-quarters of cases compared to only half the time for general participants, and it was paid for (i.e., prostitution) three times as often. Despite these differences, reactions to these events by prison and general participants were the same, with combined results of 66% positive reactions (i.e., enjoyed it "much") versus 15% emotionally negative reactions (e.g., shock, disgust, guilt). Results added to those from a series of studies done since 2000 using male same-sex samples in showing that minor-adult same-sex sexual experiences in this population do not conform to the child sexual abuse (CSA) model of trauma and harm. Comparing prison and general participants also showed that the CSA-trauma-crime link often claimed (i.e., where minor-adult sex is said to produce trauma that leads to later criminal behavior) did not hold in the Kinsey same-sex samples, because trauma (the middle element) was mostly missing. This null result for the link alerts that trauma needs to be shown rather than assumed when considering this link. The positive reaction profile obtained was discussed in terms of cultural factors dominant in Kinsey's time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Individuals often develop expectations prior to their initial sexual experiences based on external messages from peers and the broader culture. According to sexual script theory (Simon & Gagnon, 1986), these expectations form schemas about how an initial sexual experience should occur. When reality deviates from these schemas, dissatisfaction can occur (McCormick, 1987). The current study examines the contrast between expectations and reported initial sexual experiences before age 16.Methods: Forty young adult participants were recruited from four local Atlantic Canadian universities (77.5% women; M age = 20.20, SD = 1.31; 75% heterosexual; 77.5% Caucasian). Semi-structured qualitative interviews on participants' actual initial sexual experiences, expectations of initial sexual experiences, and perceived consequences of initial sexual experiences were conducted. Thematic analysis of the interviews was conducted using a grounded theory framework.Results: Findings indicated that respondents' expectations were influenced by sources such as various media, peers, family, and religion. Initial sexual experiences reportedly met, surpassed, or failed to meet participants' expectations. The presence or absence of a discrepancy between expected and actual sexual experiences was perceived to shape subsequent sexual encounters. A theoretical model of development and adaptations of sexual experience expectations was developed in accordance with these results.Conclusions: Comparisons between expected and actual initial sexual experiences can be perceived by youth as having consequences on their personal and interpersonal well-being. Honest communication between parents, educators, and youth should therefore be prioritized in order to establish more realistic expectations of initial sexual experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Female rats with mating experience spend more time with the male rat, exhibit shorter contact-return latency to intromission, and display more proceptive behaviors in the male rat's compartment than during the first mating experience. The present study tested 1) whether mating induced conditioned object preference (COP) is possible with a single conditioning trial and 2) whether a preference is induced for an object associated with the first mating encounter or the fifth mating encounter in female rats. Ovariectomized, Long-Evans female rats were primed with estradiol benzoate + progesterone and either exposed to an empty paced mating chamber for 15 min (Naïve) or received a 15 intromission test of paced mating behavior (Experienced) on four separate occasions before undergoing the COP procedure. Experienced, but not Naïve, female rats developed a COP for a single mating bout, indicating that mating is highly rewarding for sexually experienced female rats. The findings raise questions about the effect of sexual experience on reward regions in the brain, the responsiveness of genital tissue, and learning mechanisms. Highlights • sexually naïve rats • A single-trial training paradigm can induce a conditioned object preference (COP) for mating • Only sexually experienced, not sexually naïve, female rats express a COP for mating • We propose that measures of paced mating behavior reflect mating-related reward [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To expand our understanding of first sexual experiences among adolescents in Latin America, this study examined associations between several psychosocial correlates (gender, religiosity, age at first intercourse, and type of relationship with sexual partner, as well as benevolent and hostile sexism attitudes) and perceived consequences of first sexual intercourse in a sample of Mexican adolescents. Findings indicate that male participants and adolescents who had their first intercourse at older ages (16 or older) reported more positive consequences, whereas girls, and religious adolescents reported more negative consequences. When examining the link between sexist attitudes and perceived consequences by gender, findings may indicate that these attitudes were better predictors among male adolescents. Specifically, boys who endorsed more hostile sexism reported having felt rush, felt that they enhanced their reputation, and worried that their partner wanted more commitment. Moreover, boys who endorsed more benevolent sexism reported feeling cheered up, worried about pregnancy, and that their partner wanted more commitment. In contrast, benevolent sexism was associated with only one consequence (worry about pregnancy) among girls. This study expands our understanding of Mexican adolescent sexual experiences and the link between sexist attitudes and perceived consequences of first intercourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iran, women’s sexual perceptions have not been researched in detail. In this interpretive inquiry, we explore answers to the question of how women conceptualize the role of cultural norms in their lived sexual experience. The study was carried out in Shiraz and Tehran, two large cities in Iran, where in-depth interviews were conducted with 31 Iranian married women of reproductive age. Conventional content analysis was used to extract meanings and perceptions. We identified one main theme as “culturally adapted manner,” and four subthemes of “obligation to cultural subjective norms”, “interweaving of androcentricity and patriarchy”, “acquiring power in the sexual relationship”, and “appeasement of feelings of sexual dissatisfaction.” Exploring the women’s stories demonstrated that cultural norms play a formative role in shaping Iranian women’s sexual perceptions. Moreover, the concepts of patriarchal and androcentric were understood as the same. Nuanced understandings of the ways in which women are trying to deal with perceived effects of cultural determinants of the quality of their sexual lives are revealed. To deliver responsive women’s reproductive health care, health providers need to recognize the cultural factors that affect women’s perceptions and presentation within the consultation, and respond appropriately to these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A progression towards the non-tokenistic inclusion of people with disabilities (PWD) in society, and of PWD's needs in legal processes, necessarily entails acknowledging and respecting disability-informed approaches to sensual and sexual experience, expression, and connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on sexual trajectories of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people generally focus on the first same-sex attraction and sexual experience, and their relation to self-identification and coming out as LGB. Relational and opposite-sex experiences are generally not taken into account. The aim of this study was to provide a more comprehensive overview of LGBs' sexual trajectories and to distinguish subsamples with different trajectories. A sample of same-sex attracted members of an online research panel (N = 3054) completed a sexual health questionnaire, including items about the timing of sexual and relational milestones. Results showed that the majority of gay men and lesbian women had same-sex sexual and relational experiences, whereas most bisexual men and women had had experiences with the opposite sex. Among gay men and lesbian women, two trajectories emerged, differing mainly on whether people had been sexually or romantically involved with opposite-sex partners, and on age of first same-sex attraction. Among those who were not exclusively attracted to the same sex, six patterns emerged, which differed especially with regard to the nature and comprehensiveness of their same-sex experiences. Within the exclusively same-sex attracted group, the trajectory with no heterosexual experiences related to higher levels of psychological adjustment. For non-exclusive sexually attracted people, trajectories including experience of same-sex relationships seem to be most beneficial. In conclusion, both relational and opposite-sex experiences proved to be important elements of LGB men and women's sexual trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore Congolese male and female high school students' cultural attitudes concerning virginity. The study employed a qualitative approach to collect data from 56 boys and girls aged 16-20 years old. Eight focus group discussions and 40 individual interviews were conducted among participants from two urban and two rural high schools in South Kivu province. Findings indicate that men are disappointed when they marry non-virgin girls. In fact, most male and female participants perceived girls who were virgins as trustworthy individuals. They believe that the girl's virginity loss brings shame to her family. However, some female participants clearly dissociate from societal views or norms about virginity, and remark that virginity itself is not the key to a successful household nor a guarantee for remaining faithful after marriage. Such traditional norms-in the context of high levels of rape-place enormous pressure on young women and cause them to lie about virginity because they fear losing their fiancés. They indicated that they would lie about it regardless of any consequences they may encounter. In fact, some traditional beliefs need to be challenged and modified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

íáí Social transitions are characterized by an increased heterogeneity in Western societies. Following the life course perspective, individual agency becomes central in shaping one's life course. This article examines social transitions of adolescents using individual resource theory to explain differences of the timing of five transitions in partnership and family formation: the first sexual experience, the first intimate relationship, the first cohabitation, the first marriage, and the birth of the first child. Since little is so far known about how individual characteristics interact and influence the social transition to adulthood, we focus on the varying impacts of personal, social and socio-economic resources across the social life course. We use longitudinal data from the German LifE-Study, which focuses on the birth cohort of individuals born between 1965 and 1967. Using event history analysis, we find that the timing of the first sexual experience and first partnership transitions are mainly influenced by personal and social ressources, whereas socio-economic resources offer better explanations for the timing of entering marriage and parenthood. Most striking are the different explanatory models for women and men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of society deems pre-marital adolescent sexual activity to be deviant. Current research seeks to determine if losing one’s virginity has an impact on participation in delinquent acts. It is hypothesized that youth who are more socially bonded to conventional people and activities, with higher levels of self-control, will not have participated in sexual intercourse and will have lower rates of delinquency. Data from Add Health are analyzed. Results do not indicate a significant effect of virginal status on delinquency. However, various social bonds were found to differentially effect delinquency for virgins and non-virgins, which may be important to consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youths in sub-Saharan Africa who initiate sex at an early age tend to be more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases because of the lack of accurate knowledge of preventive behaviors. Although sociocultural and economic factors associated with sexual initiation among youths have been studied extensively in Nigeria, little is known about the effect of place-based factors. Rural and urban disparities remain high in Nigeria, and these disparities are reinforced by stark regional inequalities between the north and south. Considering these underlying inequalities, we examined the extent to which rural and urban youths in northern and southern Nigeria differ with regard to the timing of sexual initiation using the 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey. Results from our event history analyses suggest that never-married male and female youths who lived in the urban north delayed their first sexual intercourse compared with their counterparts in the rural north, but those who lived in the rural south had their first sex earlier. Young males who lived in the urban south also experienced their first sex earlier than their counterparts in the rural north. Surprisingly, educated youths and those who had accurate knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission experienced their first sex early. Clearly, the timing of sexual initiation among youths varies across different spatial and cultural contexts. Therefore, interventions aimed at discouraging early sexual initiation among young people in Nigeria may need to go beyond merely providing health information and services to addressing the livelihood needs of youths, especially those in rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We hypothesized that men value temporal proximity to female virginity and estimated the value of delaying a girl’s first sexual experience by analyzing 8,817 prostitutes in Indonesia. We regressed the log of the price of sex on age at first sex, current age, and their interaction term, along with covariates. An additional year’s postponement of first sex was associated with a 3.6% increase in the price of sex, when we controlled for only city-by-year fixed effects. Further controlling for the prostitute's age increased the value to 4.5%. More interestingly, a client depreciated this value over the prostitute’s age. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Definitions of sexual behavior display a robust hierarchy of agreement regarding whether or not acts should be classed as, for example, sex or virginity loss. The current research offers a theoretical explanation for this hierarchy, proposing that sexual definitions display graded categorical structure, arising from goodness of membership judgments. Moderation of this graded structure is also predicted, with the focus here on how sexual orientation identity affects sexual definitions. A total of 300 18- to 30-year-old participants completed an online survey, rating 18 behaviors for how far each constitutes having "had sex" and virginity loss. Participants fell into one of four groups: heterosexual male or female, gay male or lesbian. The predicted ratings hierarchy emerged, in which bidirectional genital acts were rated significantly higher than unidirectional or nonpenetrative contact, which was in turn rated significantly higher than acts involving no genital contact. Moderation of graded structure was also in line with predictions. Compared to the other groups, the lesbian group significantly upgraded ratings of genital contact that was either unidirectional or nonpenetrative. There was also evidence of upgrading by the gay male sample of anal intercourse ratings. These effects are theorized to reflect group-level variation in experience, contextual perspective, and identity-management. The implications of the findings in relation to previous research are discussed. It is suggested that a graded structure approach can greatly benefit future research into sexual definitions, by permitting variable definitions to be predicted and explained, rather than merely identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First sex marks a significant transition for most adolescents, yet teens often report that it was unplanned. Seventy-four college students participated in exploratory focus groups about their first sex. Although initially asked whether their first sex was spontaneous or planned, many participants revealed evidence of forethought or anticipation, signifying a third option, anticipation. This study suggests that the development and timing of sexual health messages should build on the apparent, albeit often unacknowledged, planning and thought that accompany the transition to first sex. Specifically, during the time immediately preceding first sex, young people might be particularly open to such messages. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Latinas in the United States are less likely than their non-Hispanic peers to use condoms. Previous research has identified acculturation and religiosity as two key determinants of Latina condom use, but results are inconsistent, impairing the translation of findings to practice. The current study examines these constructs together and addresses methodological concerns noted in the literature. Structural equation modeling performed on a nationally representative sample of Latinas indicated that intrinsic religiosity increased condom use whereas acculturation decreased condom use. Extrinsic religiosity indirectly increased condom use via intrinsic religiosity. Implications for practice and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virginity loss is a pivotal life event which can have long-lasting effects on sexual behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct validity of two measures related to first sexual experience: the First Coital Affective Reaction Scale (FCARS) and the Virginity Beliefs Scale (VBS). Construct validity was investigated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, convergent and discriminant validity, and the known-groups method. Factor analysis of the FCARS suggested that a two-factor model – in which positive and negative affective reactions are separated – accurately reflects the variance in responses. Overall, the results provide support for the construct validity of the FCARS and VBS; however, a two-factor model of FCARS and removing one item of the VBS may improve the measures' psychometric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While virginity prior to marriage has been historically valued, changing sociosexual scripts in the United States have made premarital sexual activity the norm for young adults, with sexual debut generally occurring in late adolescence. In the current research, we examined the impact of being developmentally off-time with first coitus (i.e., not yet engaging in coitus when most same-aged peers have done so). Specifically, we investigated stigma toward sexually inexperienced adults and discrimination regarding romantic relationship formation. Across three methodologically diverse studies we observed that sexually inexperienced adults perceived themselves to be stigmatized due to their inexperience and that sexually inexperienced adults were not highly desired as relationship partners. Even sexually inexperienced adults themselves did not find other inexperienced adults to be attractive relationship partners. Although abstaining from sexual activity may bestow some health advantages, our studies show that being a sexual “late bloomer” may result in negative interpersonal consequences such as limited opportunities for romantic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There has been growing attention to the influence of youths' sexual experiences on alcohol use and other health-risk behaviors. Yet, because of the cross-sectional nature of many studies, as well as the likelihood of alcohol use and sexual behaviors to co-occur, the question of whether initiation of sexual activity tends to precede engagement in other behaviors, like binge drinking, remains largely unanswered. Using data from 4726 respondents who participated in Waves I through IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we examined the association between age at first intercourse and frequent binge drinking during one's mid-twenties and early thirties. We further explored whether this relationship was mediated or moderated by the rate at which individuals accumulated sex partners during the transition to adulthood. Findings showed for women and men, later ages at first intercourse were associated with lower odds of frequent binge drinking in young adulthood. While rate of sex partner accumulation partially mediated this association, it did not moderate it. Furthermore, rate of partner accumulation was positively associated with binge drinking, particularly among women, with a quicker accumulation of sex partners associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in frequent binge drinking. Our findings underscore the importance of considering multiple dimensions of a single behavior and their relation to subsequent health-related behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1990s, a fascinating genre emerged: the virginity loss confessional genre, in which autobiographical stories of virginity loss are collected and curated. This article draws on the work of Michel Foucault and Kenneth Plummer to explicate the historical and theoretical bases behind this contemporary confessional storytelling practice, outlining the genre’s historical and therapeutic purposes. It also considers the significance of virginity loss and the relevance of these stories in the 21st century. It illustrates how and why virginity loss stories have been told in the past, and the reasons why publicly telling these stories has become a common practice in recent decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study has been motivated by the scarcity of research that adopts an unproblematic focus on sexuality in South African Black and Colored low-income communities. We explored the sexual intimacy constructions of 15 Colored married/cohabiting couples who live in a low-income, historical South African farmworker community. Using a social constructionist thematic analysis method, we identified four themes: (a) metaphoric and indirect sexual language; (b) the use of a romantic discourse to talk about sexual experiences; (c) male-centered sexual relationships; and (d) lack of privacy brings both restriction and pleasure. We consider how these themes may be linked to the participants’ community context and colonial and apartheid history. Finally, we emphasize the need for research that also explores positive sex functions and experiences rather than focuses narrowly on problematic sexual behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]