The meaning of experience

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In Chapter Four the 572 sexual experiences the subjects [175 male and 108 female subjects] have had are separately described. In contrast to that of the males, a large part of the experiences of the females are non-consensual. Furthermore, sexual experiences with adults are more often non-consensual than experiences with peers. The non-consensual experiences differ in severity. When one looks at the way the sexual contacts were experienced, it seemed to be especially useful to make a distinction between the voluntary and non-consensual ones. [...]

Voluntary sexual contacts in early youth correlate with a stronger present day sexual desire and arousability, and with less anxiety about sexual contact. Males who have had voluntary sexual contacts as boys also report more satisfaction than do males who haven't had such experiences. These relationships held for sexual contacts with peers as well as with adults. Non-consensual contacts with adults seem to have a stronger influence than non-consensual contacts with peers; this is caused however by the fact that these contacts, when they are non-consensual, on the average, are more severe. For several reasons one should be cautious in drawing conclusions from the relationships established in this study. For one thing, the data are based on self-reporting and are collected at only one moment in time; this may introduce artificial correlations. The same effect may be produced by the fact that a large part of the data are retrospective. Finally, the statistical techniques used are capable only of detecting linear group tendencies.

source: 'The Meaning of Experience - On sexual contacts in early youth, and sexual behavior and experience in later lief - Summery of the doctoral thesis by Theo Sandfort'; Free Will Report #13, March 1989; Original: English summary in the book 'Het belang van de ervaring - Over seksuele contacten in de vroege jeugdjaren en seksueel gedrag en beleven op latere leeftijd' by Dr. Th.G.M. (Theo) Sandfort; Publicatiereeks Homostudies Utrecht (13); 1988