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‘I don’t know what a proper woman means’: what women with intellectual disabilities think about sex, sexuality and themselves
- Authors:
- FITZGERALD Christina, WITHERS Paul
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41(1), 2013, pp.5-12.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Semi-structured interview schedules were used to guide interviews with 10 women with intellectual disabilities to find out what they thought about their sexuality and sexual identity. All were identified as White British with ages ranging from 19 to 64 years. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. Many of the women could not conceptualise themselves as sexual beings, and they tended to regard sex as a dirty and inappropriate activity for them. They generally believed that other people prohibited them from engaging in sexual activity. The women often considered themselves to be of little value, and the majority had no clear sense of identity. It is incumbent upon services to find the means to empower women with intellectual disabilities to acknowledge, welcome and take control of their own sexuality. (Edited publisher abstract)