More responsibility, less sex

A woman’s position in the household, her power to make decisions, will influence the amount of sex she is having. The more decision making ability, the less sex. This study may have been throughout six countries in sub-Sahara Africa, but the pattern of women’s autonomy and sexual control is mirrored in any developing country anywhere at any time through history. “A very consistent pattern was observed across all six countries we surveyed as the number of decisions in which a women had the final say increased, the mean and median time since most recent sex also increased by three – to 100-fold,” said Michelle Hindin, PhD, MHS, lead author of the study and an associate professor at the Bloomberg School’s Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. “The more decisions a woman reported making on her own, as compared to joint decision making, the less likely she was to have sex and the longer it was since she last had sexual intercourse.”

The decisions the surveyors asked about had to do with respondent’s health care, large household purchases, household purchases for daily needs and the respondent visiting family and friends. Researchers considered age, wealth, parity, husband’s residence, and marital duration. For sexual activity, they asked about day, week, month and year they last had intercourse.

“Understanding how women’s position in the household influences their sexual activity may be an essential piece in protecting the sexual rights of women and helping them to achieve a sexual life that is both safe and pleasurable,” said Carie Muntifering, co-author and Bloomberg student.

Source: Journal of Sex Research, MedicalNewsToday