Question for school

[OctaviaSmith]

I'm doing a project on asexuality for school and I was wondering if someone was sexually abused, raped, molested, etc and they don't want to have sex anymore, would they still be considered asexual?

[deltaX]

It depends. Some asexuals have experienced sexual abuse and some haven't, but it doesn't really affect their orientation. Asexuality is about a lack of sexual attraction, not an aversion to sex or a desire not to have it.

Some sexual abuse victims will not want to have sex anymore, but are still able to feel attraction to other people. They just don't want to act on that attraction because of their past. That person would not be sexual. However, if someone isn't attracted to people at all, then they would be asexual, regardless of their past history.

[Kisrah]

I think that depends. Are they still experiencing sexual attraction to other people? If they are, they're not asexual. You can experience attraction and not want sex. Not wanting sex doesn't make you asexual, and wanting it doesn't mean you're not asexual.

If they no longer experience sexual attraction after the abuse, then they're asexual. Their current feelings are what matter; not their past feelings, or what happened to make them this way.

[shockkkk]

I say yes. I also strongly disagree with the above posts.

[Absol]

I think that would be a case where the line is drawn between celibacy and asexuality. If someone were to feel sexual attraction, but not act on it because of any reason (including past trauma), that would fall under the definition of celibacy. With counselling, it may be possible for someone to get over their past trauma and want to have sex again, however no amount of counselling can make someone "get over" their sexual orientation. Not to downplay the seriousness of sexual abuse, because it is a terrible thing, but aversion to the act of sex is different from not feeling sexual attraction at all. That would be my opinion.

[Member54880]

A lot of asexuals who were sexually abused, have expressed doubts over whether they "count" as asexual, because of their abuse, or are concerned that their abuse caused it. Sexual orientation doesn't have a single cause that can be pinpointed, but a history of abuse doesn't invalidate someone's asexuality. Some survivors of sexual abuse became averse to sex as a result of it, which is separate from sexual attraction, or the lack of. Some survivors may want to get over their aversion, while others don't.

[Howard]

I like the definition of lack of sexual attraction for political reasons. In more practical term, because attraction and desires can be subjective, I prefer defining asexuality as a marked preference for not having partnered sex. Those two definitions that I toy with leaves me in a bind when it comes to your question.

Let's say that it depends on attraction, not preference. If the person feels attraction, even if there is aversion, the person is not asexual but rather has psychological scars. It would be the political answer because in a court of law, the person could sue for dammages and that's good for the victim.

Let's say it depends on a marked preference. The person could identify as an asexual if the person pleases and be part of the community. Yet another positive spin.

Personaly, I would go along with what the person prefers.

[PastelBread]

I think that this may or may not be exempt. I believe that if the person has been raped/sexually abused/etc, that might just indicate a psychological fear of having sex. They may still be able to feel sexual attraction, but I think that it is more of an aversion/fear than asexuality. Perhaps if the person still feels like they do not like sex without that overlying fear, then that can be considered asexual. It's kind of a hard decision on where the line is drawn between asexuality and celibacy. :) That's just my two cents, though. :)

[chair jockey]

I agree with the person who said that there is a difference between being asexual and having sexual trauma in one's past, with whatever ongoing effects the sexual trauma has. In practice it's hard for a person to separate the two within their own mind and feelings and it's possible to be confused which is the case, or whether in fact both are the case, but they're different things.