Long-term Heterosexual Relationships Research Articles

Understanding the experience of emotional abuse: the importance of naming and identifying non-physical violence from the target’s perspective

Emotional abuse and psychological violence refer to patterned maltreatment used to break down the personal integrity and sense of self-worth of the target. In this article, I address the experiences of emotional abuse and psychological violence of women in long-term heterosexual relationships based on my feminist activist research in collaboration with Women’s Line, an anti-violence, women’s rights non-governmental organisation in Finland. The research included co-moderating two online support groups for women and conducting follow-up interviews. In the analysis, I show that non-physical forms of violence are deeply felt and transform a target’s sense of self and their relationships with the world. However, targets may have difficulty recognising that they are subjected to abuse and doubt their own experiences, despite the severe effects of abuse and the risks posed to their safety. Thus, I argue for the need to name and identify non-physical abuse as severe violence in order to raise awareness and to validate the target’s experiences.

Mass Weddings in Jamaica and the Production of Academic Folk Knowledge

In Jamaica in the 1940s and 1950s, prominent women and women’s organizations led a notorious campaign to promote mass weddings. The campaign targeted working-class black Jamaicans living together in long-term heterosexual relationships and was aimed at improving the status of women and children and readying working-class Jamaicans for citizenship. This essay explores mass weddings as a form of women’s activism in the mid-twentieth century, and it reflects on M. G. Smith’s trenchant critique of mass weddings in his introduction to Edith Clarke’s iconic study My Mother Who Fathered Me. Smith identifies a governor’s wife as the instigator of the campaign, not the black Jamaican middle-class nationalist feminists who were responsible, yet his account has ascended to a form of academic folk knowledge that is oft repeated and rarely probed. As a valued resource for understanding late colonialism in the Caribbean, it has caricatured Caribbean feminist interventions in nationalist projects, and it contributes to the feminization of an enduring Caribbean “coloniality.”

When Desire Fades: Women Talk About Their Subjective Experience of Declining Sexual Desire in Loving Long-term Relationships

ABSTRACT Women’s sexual desire has been shown to decline over the course of loving long-term relationships. Yet, accounts of partnered women’s subjective experience of this occurrence are rather limited. In order to broaden the examination of this topic, the present exploratory qualitative study extended it cross-culturally to explore how women in Israel are impacted by, perceive, and experience this decline in their sexual desire, with the objective of sketching an account of the experiences of women who share this reality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 women, aged 25 and over, in fulfilling long-term heterosexual relationships. The participants reported a sharp decline in sexual desire in comparison to the early stages of the relationship, experiencing it as quite perplexing given their love and affection for their partner. All also described their intimate connection as based on much more than sex. Additionally, while the reduction in desire did not result from difficulties in the relationship it did create some. These included frustration, conflict, and pressure from partner, which often led to sexual compliance on the women’s part. Suggested solutions included open and honest dialogue, thoughtfulness, and mutual respect. A critical discussion of the findings outlines implications for partnered women’s and couples’ wellbeing.

‘Either stay grieving, or deal with it’: the psychological impact of involuntary childlessness for women living in midlife

What is it like for women to be involuntarily childless in midlife? Involuntarily childless women may be suffering from prolonged grief due to its ambiguous and intangible nature; however, they are also striving to find ways of dealing with their internal pain in order to live with their loss. Many studies examining issues around human reproduction have tended to place childlessness in the realm of medicalised infertility and report generalised mental issues, such as depression and psychological distress, existing amongst women undergoing fertility treatments. Few studies, however, have focused on the individual with regard to the experiential significance of involuntary childlessness and living beyond the phase of trying for a baby. A phenomenologically oriented person-centred qualitative design was used. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 White British women, who identified themselves as involuntarily childless, recruited via three leading childless support networks in the UK. In order to retain an idiographic commitment to the detailed account of a person's experience, a homogeneous and purposive sampling was used applying the following criteria: women aged between 45 and 55; in long-term heterosexual relationships with no adopted children, stepchildren or children of a partner from a previous marriage or relationship; and no longer trying to have a child. Considering the homogeneity of ethnic background and wishing to respect cultural differences, this study focused on White British women living in the UK. Of the 12, one woman was found to not meet the criteria, and therefore, the experiential data of 11 interviews were used for the study and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two higher-order levels of themes that illustrate intrapersonal features were identified: the intrapersonal consequences of loss and confronting internal pain. The former explicated the depth of internal pain while the latter revealed ways in which the participants deal with it in their everyday lives. The important finding here is that both themes are co-existing internal features and dynamically experienced by the participants as they live with the absence of much-hoped-for children. Given the homogeneous sampling and the small number of participants, which is consistent with IPA, we want to be cautious in generalising our study findings. This study offers the view that there might be potential mental health issues surrounding involuntary childlessness that are currently overlooked. Particularly because the loss of hope cannot be pathologised, and the grief is ambiguous and intangible, it might make people's grieving process more complicated. An ongoing sense of uncertainty also may persist in that involuntarily childless people may develop symptoms similar to those diagnosed with prolonged grief disorder (PGD). The overall findings elucidate the need for clinicians, counsellors and health professionals to be aware of the possible association with PGD and promote long-term support and care in helping to maintain psychological well-being for people dealing with involuntary childlessness. Furthermore, this research points to an educational application for younger people by offering information beyond an explanation of infertility and fertility treatment, helping to understand the lived experience of involuntary childlessness. No funding was obtained for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Not applicable.

Current status of fertility and family formation in men with cystic fibrosis

Men with cystic fibrosis are nearly always infertile due to congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens, but can undergo assisted reproduction. Ill health may influence reproductive choices. This paper reports data on fertility and family formation in CF including the use of assisted reproduction in a total cohort of 205 men (mean age 30.9, range 16.6–64.3 years) studied over a 10-year period. Overall 102 (49.5%) were single, 52 (25.7%) were married, 48 (23.3%) were in long-term heterosexual relationships, and 3 (1.5%) were in same-sex relationships. One (0.5%) was fertile naturally. In total, 30 children were born to 23 (11%) men by assisted reproduction: 4 used donor sperm and 19 had sperm retrieval and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Two men each adopted two children; 15 (7.3%) men were acting as step-fathers to 20 children from their partners’ previous relationships. Overall 41 (20%) men had fatherhood roles. ICSI was unsuccessful in 4 men. A further 16 men were referred for fertility treatment but did not proceed. Of the 19 men having children by ICSI, 3 died leaving 4 children. Men with CF face complex decisions when considering their relationships, fertility and fatherhood.

A Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Problems in Long-Term Heterosexual Relationships

BackgroundAlthough much research has described individual sexual dysfunctions, few studies to date have examined the types of problems that couples consider most significant in their sexual relationships. AimTo clarify the types of relational sexual problems that are most common and most severe in the sexual lives of individuals in long-term romantic relationships. MethodsA community sample of 117 mixed-sex couples completed this in-lab study. Members of each couple separately completed a demographics questionnaire and a measure of their relational sexual problems, the Sexual Problems Questionnaire (SPQ). Descriptive analyses (eg, examination of means, frequency counts) were conducted to determine the most common and severe sexual problems reported by participants. t-Tests were performed to examine gender differences in mean severity ratings for each SPQ item. Qualitative data were examined by conducting a frequency count on the SPQ items that participants reported to be most important in their sexual relationships. Results of all frequency counts were divided by the total sample size and are reported as percentages. Main Outcome MeasuresParticipants reported on the severity of their sexual problems using the 25-item SPQ. ResultsQuantitative analyses revealed that the most common and problematic sexual problems endorsed by both sexes were frequency of sex, sexual initiation, and showing interest. A frequency count of participants’ qualitative reports also revealed that frequency of sex (women = 36%; men = 39%), sexual initiation (women = 33%; men = 32%), and showing interest (women and men = 25%) were the most important sexual issues for most individuals. Clinical ImplicationThe most pressing relational sexual problems for couples in long-term romantic relationships are consistent between sexes and pertain to the domain of sexual desire. Strength & LimitationsThe current study used an expanded measure of sexual problems, which allowed participants to report on a broad range of issues in their sexual relationships. The direction of such relational sexual problems (eg, desiring more or less sexual frequency) was not explored. ConclusionThe key problems in sexual relationships center on the theme of sexual desire, and men and women consider these issues to be problematic to a similar extent.Sutherland SE, Rehman US, Fallis EE. A Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Problems in Long-Term Heterosexual Relationships. J Sex Med 2019;16:701–710.

A qualitative exploration of the distress experienced by long-term heterosexual couples when women have low sexual desire

Despite growing research interest investigating sexual desire disorders, little is known or understood about the impact on individuals, their partners, and their relationship functioning. The objective of the current study was to explore and describe the nature and types of distress, as well as the consequences of, low sexual desire for women and their higher desire partners. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaire measures were conducted with 26 participants (13 couples) between the ages of 18 and 47 years (average age 31.8 years) in long-term heterosexual relationships (average duration 8 years 10 months). Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts suggested 29 conceptually distinct forms of distress and consequence described by participants. The findings from this study indicate that the distress resulting from low sexual desire is complex and multi-faceted, with important research and clinical implications. Of particular interest was the finding that the qualitative nature of the individual and relationship distress experienced by both men and women is strikingly similar.

Concurrent HPV-related oropharyngeal carcinoma in four couples

ObjectivesTypically, HPV-related cancers are sexually transmitted, however, the natural history of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is unclear. HPV16 transmission has been reported previously between five couples with OPSCC. We report the clinico-pathological features of a further four couples with HPV-related OPSCC and compare them with the published cases. Patients and methodsWe identified four couples in long-term heterosexual relationships that all had HPV-related OPSCC. The couples were treated at three UK hospitals and presented between 2009 and 2015. HPV tests included p16 immunohistochemistry, high-risk HPV DNA in-situ hybridisation and Roche Cobas HPV test. DNA sequencing was used to determine the HPV variant. ResultsThe four couples represented < 2% of patients with HPV-related OPSCC at the three contributing hospitals (8 of 457 consecutive patients). The couples’ tumours all contained HPV16. The mean age was 63 years old (range 52–72 years). The interval between the index cancer and the partner’s cancer was 16, 24, 26 and 64 months respectively. The majority of patients had Stage I disease (UICC TNM8). Six of eight patients are disease free, one patient is alive with disease and there was one death from loco-regional recurrence. ConclusionThis report highlights the occurrence of HPV-related OPSCC in heterosexual couples and raises the possibility of transmission of HPV16. Despite increasing prevalence of HPV-related OPSCC and increased awareness of the disease, there is a paucity of couples with the disease, suggesting either under-reporting or that the development of OPSCC following HPV transmission between couples is a rare event.

263 A qualitative exploration of the distress resulting from sexual desire difficulties in couples

Despite the importance of distress in the diagnosis and treatment of desire disorders, the phenomenon of distress has received scant empirical investigation. Measures are limited, and the individual and couples factors that predict, moderate or ameliorate distress are poorly understood. While practitioners regularly treat sexual desire at the couple level, the literature has not yet caught up and is still highly focused on women alone. The current research aims to build our understanding of distress as it occurs within a dyad, with a focus on describing the distress and consequences resulting from low or discrepant sexual desire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 participants (13 couples) between the ages 18 and 47 years (average age 31.8 years), who were in long-term heterosexual relationships (average duration 8 years 10 months), and who self-reported low or discrepant sexual desire and distress in either member of the couple. Data collection and analysis were informed by grounded theory methodology and SDI, FSDS-R, DASS and KMSS measures were completed.

The Relationship between Power Perception and Couple's Conflict Management Strategy

ABSTRACTInterpersonal conflict is integral to intimate spousal relationships, and while potentially destructive, it can also enhance sharing of feelings and thoughts and the sense of being loved. Its positive or negative effects partly rely on how partners deal with it. This study was conducted in Israel with 160 participants. All participants were Jewish and involved in long-term heterosexual intimate relationships (married/in a serious relationship). The study examines a model that suggests that perceived socioemotional and materialistic power of a couple predicts their conflict management strategies. In addition, we tested whether this relationship is mediated by perceived quality of spousal relationship. The perceived socioemotional power was found to predict only cooperative conflict management stratagies and only for women. It was also found that this correlation is mediated by the perceived quality of the relationship. This study enhances our understanding of the way individuals grapple with spousal conflicts and reveals the positive power that can be nurtured and embodied within the spousal relationship. In addition, this study reveals that the effect of power perception differs between men and women. Clinical and research implications for couple and family therapists are discussed, and suggestions for effective clinical practice in addressing marital power are given.

Male Violence and Sexual Intimidation in a Wild Primate Society

Sexual violence occurring in the context of long-term heterosexual relationships, such as sexual intimidation, is widespread across human populations [1-3]. However, its evolutionary origins remain speculative because few studies have investigated the existence of comparable forms of sexual coercion in animals [4, 5], in which repeated male aggression toward a female provides the aggressor with delayed mating benefits [6]. Here, we test whether male aggression toward females functions as sexual coercion in wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). We found support for all three main predictions of the sexual coercion hypothesis [7]: male aggression (1) is greatest against cycling females, (2) is costly and represents the main source of injuries for cycling females, and (3) increases male mating success with their victims in the future. Detailed analysis of chronological sequences between aggression and matings ruled out other coercive mechanisms, such as short-term harassment and punishment, by showing that aggression and matings are temporally decoupled. This decoupling may explain why some forms of sexual violence have been largely overlooked in well-studied animal populations despite their likely impact on the fitness of both sexes. Finally, we found no support for alternative hypotheses such as a female preference for aggressive males[8, 9]. This new, detailed study of the forms and intensity of sexual intimidation in a wild primate suggests that it may be widespread across mammalian societies, with important implications for understanding the evolution of mate choice and sexual conflict in mammals, as well as the origins of human sexual violence.

Emerging Adults’ Expectations and Preferences for Gender Role Arrangements in Long-Term Heterosexual Relationships

Using vignettes as a data collection tool, the main purpose of this randomized, mixed-method study was to examine U.S. emerging adults’ (N = 451) expectations and preferences for five different gender role relationship (GRR) types: (a) male-head/female-complement, (b) male-senior/female-junior partner, (c) partner-equal, (d) female-senior/male-junior partner, and (e) female-head/male-complement. Respondents’ perceptions about their personal satisfaction if they were in such GRRs in the future also were examined, as were their perceptions of the effects of marital status and parental status of couples in the various GRR vignettes. Married couples were projected to have greater satisfaction than cohabiting couples, but couples with and without children were viewed similarly. Quantitative results suggest that emerging adults project egalitarian GRRs to be the most satisfying relationship type. Projected couple satisfaction and anticipated personal satisfaction were not dependent on couples’ marital or parental status. Qualitative results generally supported the quantitative findings, in that dual-career couple relationships were projected to be the most satisfying. Educators as well as premarital and marriage counselors may be able to use this information to help emerging adults consider and prepare for future relationships. Work/family policymakers also could use this information to tailor workplace and social policies to better reflect emerging adults’ views about GRRs in their future relationships.

A Qualitative Exploration of Factors That Affect Sexual Desire Among Men Aged 30 to 65 in Long-Term Relationships

Few empirical studies have explored men’s experiences of sexual desire, particularly in the context of long-term relationships. The objective of the current study was to investigate the factors that elicit and inhibit men’s sexual desire. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 men between the ages of 30 and 65 (average age 42.83 years) currently in long-term heterosexual relationships (average duration 13 years 4 months). Analysis was conducted using grounded theory methodology from the interpretivist perspective. A total of 14 themes and 23 subthemes were identified to capture men’s descriptions of eliciting and inhibiting factors of their sexual desire. The six most integral themes are presented in the current article, all of which reflect the perspectives of the majority of participants, regardless of age or relationship duration, specifically (a) feeling desired, (b) exciting and unexpected sexual encounters, (c) intimate communication, (d) rejection, (e) physical ailments and negative health characteristics, and (f) lack of emotional connection with partner. The findings suggest that men’s sexual desire may be more complex and relational than previous research suggests. Implications for researchers and therapists are discussed.

Rejection Sensitivity, Perceived Power, and HIV Risk in the Relationships of Low-Income Urban Women

The psychological processes associated with HIV infection in long-term relationships differ from those operative in casual sexual encounters, and relatively little research has considered the aspects of personality applicable in the ongoing heterosexual relationships in which women are at greatest risk. Sensitivity to rejection has been linked with efforts to prevent rejection at a cost to the self and, therefore, may be relevant to the health risks that many women incur in relationships. We examined the association of rejection sensitivity with women’s sexual risk behavior in a sample of women at heightened risk for HIV exposure. Women in long-term heterosexual relationships (N = 159) were recruited for study participation in the hospital emergency room serving a low-income neighborhood in New York City, in 2001–2003. Rejection sensitivity and known HIV risk factors were assessed using verbally administered questionnaires. Rejection sensitivity was associated with lower perceived relationship power and, in turn, more frequent unprotected sex with a partner perceived to be at risk for HIV. These results held when controlling for other HIV risk factors including partner violence, economic dependence, and substance use. Understanding the association of rejection concerns with lower perceived personal power in relationships may be important for HIV prevention.

Fear does not correspond to higher costs of rape among married women

Thornhill and Thornhill posited that sexual assault inflicts greater fitness costs on women in committed long-term heterosexual relationships than on women not in such relationships because the former face the added risk of decreased investment by their partners. In a series of papers (1990a, 1990b, 1990c, and 1991), Thornhill and Thornhill reported support for what we term the Relationship Status Hypothesis (RSH) using data on the psychological sequelae of rape. Here, we reexamine the RSH in light of Thornhill and Thornhill's original findings and the relevant literature. Identifying limitations of the original work and finding little support for the RSH in other published work, we then test the RSH in two studies using prospective fear of rape as a dependent measure; again, we find no support for the hypothesis. We conclude that, although marital discord following rape is an important issue warranting further study, the Relationship Status Hypothesis has limited empirical support at present.

Rethinking safety and fidelity: The role of love and intimacy in hepatitis C transmission and prevention

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a disease of the liver with a range of potentially debilitating symptoms, the severity of which differ from person to person. HCV is a major public health challenge. Globally an estimated one in 12 persons is affected by the virus, and substantial new transmissions occur each year. The vast majority of new transmissions occur among people who inject drugs, particularly through practices such as sharing of needles, syringes and other injecting equipment. Behavioural surveillance data suggest that the majority of equipment sharing occurs between intimate partners. Despite this, very little research has focussed on intimate partnerships as a site of hepatitis C transmission or prevention. This is in part because people who inject drugs are conventionally represented as lacking capacity for romantic love and intimacy; also, drug ‘addiction’ is produced as the antithesis of voluntarity, autonomy and authenticity, all of which feature strongly in Western understandings of romantic love. This study aims to fill existing gaps in the literature about the relationship between romantic love and injecting drug use (IDU) and to explore injecting drug practices among partners in intimate relationships. Fifteen people who inject drugs, currently in long-term heterosexual relationships, were recruited for in-depth interviews, which were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. The main findings of this study are that romantic love and intimacy figure prominently in the lives of people who inject drugs, and that romantic notions such as commitment, trust, care and support shape how individuals who inject drugs talk about serostatus with their partners and how they account for injecting practices. Moreover, injecting practices are co-produced within intimate relationships, shaped by perceptions of risk within and outside the relationship, ideas of intimacy, and the specific levels of skill and expertise within these relationships. These findings have important implications for harm reduction strategies, which, we suggest, have largely failed to take into account the intimate relationship as a source of practice. We conclude with suggestions for future work in this area.

“I'd be just as happy with a cup of tea”: Women's accounts of sex and affection in long-term heterosexual relationships

Synopsis This article reports a feminist analysis of interview data with 10 British women, in which they discuss sex and affection in their heterosexual relationships. We explore the popular cultural notion that women lack sexual desire and are more concerned with love and affection. Feminist research has highlighted how in mainstream cultural discourses, men's sexuality has been positioned as superior to women's. Women's (lack of) desire is viewed as problematic and men's (active) ‘need’ for sex contrasts sharply with the construction of women as (passive) recipients of men's desire. The women in this research reported a lack of sexual desire, but positioned themselves as wanting to want sex, or ‘desiring desire’. They expected penis-in-vagina intercourse to be an inherent part of (hetero)sex, and some participated in unwanted (consensual) sex in order to satisfy what they perceived as men's inherent ‘need’ for sex. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for feminist research and practice.

The Repertoire of Infidelity among Low-Income Men: Doubt, Duty, and Destiny

In an effort to explain the rise of unwed parenthood in the inner city over the past several decades, a large body of research has attributed the phenomenon in part to low-income men’s unwillingness to commit to long-term, monogamous relationships. A major limitation of these studies, however, is that virtually none attempt to understand relationship dissolution by comparing low-income inner-city men in monogamous and nonmonogamous long-term heterosexual relationships. Drawing from a convenience sample of thirty-eight low-income monogamous and nonmonogamous men, this article develops a typology of three cultural logics of action used by respondents to motivate behavior in relationships: doubt, duty, and destiny. These cultural logics help to explain how poverty influences sexual action; nevertheless, this typology supports an emerging literature demonstrating the ways in which the sexual “culture of poverty” is contingent, contradictory, indeterminate, and multivocal.

‘When I was a bastard’: constructions of maturity in men's accounts of masculinity

Social constructionist work has demonstrated how the performance of heterosexuality for (heterosexual) men is unarguably tied to the construction of their masculine identities. In this article, we draw on Wetherell and Edley's theorisation of ‘imaginary positions’ as it pertains to masculine identity formation, to make sense of 15 New Zealand men's accounts of sex in long-term heterosexual relationships. Such relationships were constructed as a ‘safe space’ in which to resist a negative (former) imaginary position of the ‘immature self’ and in which to construct a positive (current) position of the ‘loving, enlightened, egalitarian, mature self’. Although this suggests a positive reconstruction of male sexuality in New Zealand (within the context of long-term heterosexual relationships) these positions remain constructed in a manner which relies on traditional masculine notions of independence and autonomy. This emphasises the fluidity of masculinity, and the way in which certain styles become prevalent, while maintaining traditional elements which bolster male power.

Sexual Citizenship and the Civil Union Act 2004

This article analyses the parliamentary debates on the Civil Union Act 2004, which provides for legal recognition of same sex relationships, for stories of national identity. A close reading of the parliamentary debates on the Act suggests that although the supporters and opponents of the legislation seemed to be worlds apart, many told similar stories about New Zealand as a nation, and citizens within that nation, emphasising similar values and aspirations. Both sides told stories of citizens, of New Zealanders, as tolerant and fair, as forwarding-looking progressives who value stable long-term, committed relationships, warm loving communities for children, and strong families and family relationships. Both sides generally saw marriage as a positive institution, a cornerstone of society and a building block for society and the nation. While some talked of existing alternatives to marriage, such as de facto relationships, and there was some recognition that not all marriages are good ones, with a few notable exceptions, there was little mention of critiques of marriage as an institution and little or no positive mention of relationships outside of the paradigm of long-term committed, monogamous relationships. Further, while there were arguments, reflecting a privatisation paradigm, that the Civil Union Act 2004 was not necessary since the rights and duties of same sex couples could be structured using the private law of contract and trusts (a claim that was debated), there was no suggestion that state recognition of marriage should be abolished, or that long-term heterosexual relationships should be structured through private law.