FEIGNING SEXUAL DESIRE - CONSENTING TO UNWANTED SEXUAL-ACTIVITY IN HETEROSEXUAL DATING RELATIONSHIPS

The prevalence rates of unwanted sexual activity indicate that a subst antial proportion of both men and women are at risk for experiencing u nwanted (nonconsensual) sexual activity. However; little is known abou t the extent to which men and women consent to unwanted sexual activit y, such as when a person indicates willingness to engage in a sexual a ctivity at a time when he or she experiences no sexual desire. In the current study, 80 male and 80 female U.S. college students involved in committed dating relationships kept diaries of their sexual interacti ons for two weeks. More than one third (38%) of the participants repor ted consenting to unwanted sexual activity during this period. The mos t common motives for engaging in this behavior were to satisfy a partn er's needs, to promote intimacy, and to avoid relationship tension. Mo st participants reported positive outcomes associated with these motiv es. The results indicate that previous estimates of the prevalence of unwanted (nonconsensual) sexual experiences may actually represent a c onfound of nonconsensual and consensual forms.