Pleasure is paramount: Adults with intellectual disabilities discuss sensuality and intimacy

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to explore how adults with mild intellectual disabilities (ID) live out their social-sexual lives. Findings revealed the importance of both physical and emotional pleasure to five adults with ID. Research and educational efforts with this population have focused largely on reproduction and abuse prevention, emphasizing safety over the possibilities of human connectedness. Data sources included observations and a series of interviews. Findings in five areas – sensuality, intimacy, sexual experience, sexual attitudes, and sexual self-identity – demonstrate the richness of data that can be obtained with this population using qualitative research. Participants’ own words about their social-sexual lives are poignant, mirroring core social work pillars: self-determination and strengths perspective. Discussion includes recommendations for ways that social workers, as well as, sexuality and disability professionals can support individuals’ quality of life by addressing sexual pleasure as a key component of sexual health services.

Views and Experiences of People with Intellectual Disabilities Regarding Intimate Relationships: A Qualitative Metasynthesis

“…Fourteen studies were selected for the metasynthesis [55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68], providing a total of 326 participants (167 women, 159 men), aged 18-78 years. There was a large heterosexual bias, with only five participants identifying as gay (one woman, four men), two of which described having had relationships with others of both genders.…”

“…No study met all of the quality criteria. Only half of the studies [56,62,63,[65][66][67][68] met at least seven of the criteria, and the unmet criteria often made it difficult to assess the research process clearly.…”

Pleasure, sex, prohibition, intellectual disability, and dangerous ideas

“…The sexual liberalisation in high-income countries in the 1960s led to an appreciation of sexual pleasure beyond love or procreation, 4 and the dialogue continues. For people with disability, including people with intellectual disability, pleasure may not be seen as important 5,6 and in their daily lives, there is a distinct lack of discourse about pleasure, 2,7 leading to an experiential poverty.…”

“…Parents and carers may feel uncomfortable about raising these issues with other people within the support system. 2 We decided to write this article to share our experience and question the status quo which, at best, ignores sexuality as an integral part of a person's life and, at worst, prohibits sexual expression for people with intellectual disability.…”

The Sexual Politics of Disability, Twenty Years On

“…But more positive evidence about the sexual and social lives of people with learning difficulties comes through in a US study by George Turner and Betsy Crane (2016). Another project brought together people with learning difficulties in UK and Canada to debate what intimate citizenship might mean for people with learning difficulties in the era of Austerity (Ignagni et al 2016).…”