Reasons Why Misogyny Can Increase Sexual Pain (Dyspareunia)

First, some causes of dyspareunia:

Pelvic muscles contract to protect from a perceived threat eg. trauma trigger. The tightened muscles lead to pain upon penetration attempts or touching
Lack of arousal means sexual activity can be painful (and lack of arousal can be the result of lack of understanding/priority of pleasure and/or lack of safety)

Second, let’s break down the cultural and interpersonal manifestations of misogyny:

People deprioritise, ignore, suppress or are not aware of women’s pleasure (including women themselves)
Violence against women
Devaluation or lack of respect for the time and energy of women and/or the task typically (due to cultural expectations and norms) performed by women

Therefore, how misogyny impacts sexual pain:

Lack of safety in relationships = muscle contraction and/or lack of arousal = pain
Lack of understanding of pleasure = lack of arousal = pain
Lack of safety culture or safety in social environment = muscle contraction and/or lack of arousal = pain
Lack of safety within the self (due to trauma triggered by misogyny) = muscle contraction and/or lack of arousal = pain

Image made by Mikaela - Event & Communication Assistant

This blog post is a brief exploration of this topic and does not replace therapy. At SHIPS, we have practitioners that are knowledgeable and skilled in a variety of areas including sex therapy, relationships and more. If you may benefit from some support, please check out our website resources, or contact us.

We are also always happy to hear feedback about our blog articles. If you would like to share your experience or feel we may have missed something on this topic, please contact us to let us know.