“I used to enjoy sex”: Exploring How Sexual Violence Trauma Impacts the Body & Sexuality

• In Event: Sociology of the Body and Embodiment Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 5: Embodied Trauma, Death, and Addiction

Abstract

This paper explores how sexual violence trauma impacts the body, and thus their body in sexual contexts and sexuality. Through qualitative in-depth interviews, the researcher posed questions to participants about their experiences with trauma responses, connection to the body, and how their sexualities may have changed post-harm. Findings showed that people who experienced sexual violence at some point in their life noted fluctuations in their sexual identity and sexuality, changes in their relationship to their body and sexual self, and shifts in their attitude and perspectives on sex. Participants also shared some insight into how they navigated or were reflecting on these experiences, and working towards or reconciling their sexual identities post-harm and the role of their bodies in this process. The researcher suggests potential new research areas to expand the understanding of trauma responses, the body and sexual encounters, as well as suggestions for data collection and different methods to expand insight into the population without a heavy clinical or purely medicalized lens.

Author

• Lauren M. Fishel, University of Oklahoma