Unlike HSD, in which a person might be able to engage in sexual activity even though he or she has little or no desire to do so, a person with a sexual aversion reacts with strong disgust or fear to a sexual interaction. Men and women with sexual aversion seek to avoid any genital contact, and some women may even avoid gynecological examinations (Kingsberg & Janata, 2003). In primary sexual aversion, a man or woman has a negative response to sexual interactions from his or her earliest memory to the present; and, in a secondary sexual aversion, there was a period of pleasurable and desirable sexual activity before the aversion started.
Overall, sexual aversion affects more women than men, and it is frequently associated with a history of childhood sexual trauma or abuse (Kingsberg & Janata, 2003). This is especially true if the sexual abuse was forced, abusive, guilt-producing, or pressured. A history of anorexia has also been found to be associated with sexual aversion (J. F. Morgan et al., 1999).
ReviewQuestion
Identify the sexual desire disorders, ^and describe the treatment(s).