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Arch Sex Behav (2015) 44:983995 DOI 10.1007/s10508-014-0367-2
ORIGINAL PAPER
Why Women Engage in Anal Intercourse: Results from a Qualitative Study
Grace L. Reynolds Dennis G. Fisher Bridget Rogala
Received: 30 August 2012 / Revised: 13 March 2014 / Accepted: 24 March 2014 / Published online: 7 November 2014 The Author(s) 2014. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Abstract This study used qualitative methods to assess why women engage in heterosexual anal (receptive) intercourse (AI) withamalepartner.Fourfocusgroupswhichcomprisedwomen from diverse ethnicities were conducted. All groups were digitally recorded for transcription; transcripts were analyzed using the methods of grounded theory to determine themes. Womens reasons for engaging in anal intercourse with a male partner can be described in broad categories including that the women wanted to have anal intercourse, either because of their own desire, to please a male partner, or they were responding to a quid pro quo situation. The riskiness of AI was assessed within relationship contexts. Past experience with AI including emotional and physical reactions was identied. Among the negative physical experiences of AI were pain and disliking the sensation, and uncomfortable side effects, such as bleeding of therectum.NegativeemotionalexperiencesofAIincludedfeelings of shame, disgust, and being offended by something her male partner did, such as spitting on his penis for lubrication. Positive physical experiences included liking the sensation. Many of the women also endorsed positive emotional experiences of AI, including that it was more intimate than vaginal sex,andthatitwassomethingtheyreservedonlyforspecialpartners. The majority of AI episodes were unplanned and not discussedpriortoinitiation.PainduringAIwasmitigatedbytheuse of lubricants or illicit drugs. Even those women who found pleasure in AI expressed a preference for vaginal intercourse.
Keywords Heterosexual anal intercourse Anal sex
Women Qualitative methods
Introduction
Recent interest in heterosexual anal intercourse has been generated from several research perspectives. In the United States, general population surveys have suggested that the prevalence ofanalintercourseamongheterosexualshasincreasedovertime (Leichliter, 2008). It is not possible to know from these surveys whethertheprevalenceofanalintercourseisactuallyincreasing, orassomewouldsuggestthatthesexualrepertoireofAmericans has expanded to include anal intercourse, along with oral and vaginal sex (Leichliter, 2008; McBride & Fortenberry, 2010). There may now be less stigma attached to anal intercourse, and respondents to these general population surveys may be more comfortable admitting to the behavior (Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005). Currently in the United States, there are no states that have...