Forced Sex in Marriage: A Preliminary Research Report

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that forced sex in marriage is a wide spread social problem. This paper reports some initial findings from a study of the victims of forced marital sex. Such incidents seem to occur both in generally violent and in violence-free relationships, often near their end. The offender's goal in many instances appears to be to humiliate and retaliate against his wife, and the abuse may often include anal intercourse. It is time for a serious investigation of this problem by researchers and clinicians.