@article{ref1,
title="Motives and manifestations of sex as self-injury",
journal="Journal of sex research",
year="2019",
author="Fredlund, Cecilia and Wadsby, Marie and Jonsson, Linda S.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="To view destructive sexual behaviors as a form of self-injury is a new concept in the research field that needs further exploration and conceptualization. The aim of this study was to explore experiences of sex as self-injury to identify motives and manifestations of the behavior. An anonymous self-selected open-ended questionnaire was used for the study, and qualitative content analysis was used to identify patterns and themes in the text. A total of 199 informants participated in the study (<i>M = </i>27.9, <i>SD</i> = 9.3 years), all of whom were recruited via a range of websites of Swedish nongovernmental organizations. Sex as self-injury was described as voluntary exposure to sexual situations including psychological and/or physical harm. Affect regulation and receiving positive or negative confirmation emerged as important motives for the behavior. Respondents described sex as self-injury as difficult to stop when it felt compulsive and addictive, with ever-higher risk-taking and self-harming described. Our findings indicate that sex as self-injury often includes deliberate sexual violence, and is similar to other self-injurious behaviors, including non-suicidal self-injury. Sex as self-injury needs to be addressed in healthcare, such as in psychiatry and gynecology departments, to prevent further traumatization.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-4499",
doi="10.1080/00224499.2019.1689377",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2019.1689377"
}