Coerced Condomless Sex: A Scoping Review of Qualitative Studies

ABSTRACT

Coerced condomless sex is a prevalent form of sexual coercion that is associated with severe negative health consequences. This scoping review addresses the current lack of synthesized qualitative evidence on coerced condomless sex. Our systematic literature search yielded 21 articles that met review eligibility criteria. Themes of coerced condomless sex were organized into three categories (tactics, motives, and sequelae) and presented separately for studies based on whether researchers stipulated pregnancy promotion intent as underlying the behavior. Coerced condomless sex perpetration tactics ranged from verbal pressure to physical assault. Besides pregnancy promotion, perpetration motives included control, dominance, entrapment, enhancing sexual experiences, and avoiding conflict. Following coerced condomless sex, victims reported developing protective strategies. They also reported experiencing various negative emotional, relational, and physical health effects. Interventions that specifically address coerced condomless sex perpetration and provide supportive programs for those who have experienced coercive condomless sex may be beneficial.

Acknowledgments

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R37AA025212. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Disclosure Statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence this work.

Additional information

Funding

Funding [R37AA025212] was provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to the last author.