Q. Vanessa and Eric met at the high school where they are both teachers. They have been dating for three months and feel that this is the “real thing” or “true love.” Both love outdoors, have met and liked each other’s friends, have compatible political views, and “talk about everything” except sex. Eric, though, is becoming impatient with Vanessa’s resistance to becoming sexual. Raised in a conservative family, Vanessa, at 26, is still a virgin, and had planned to “save it for marriage.” She has also resisted masturbation because it is “not ok to do.” Eric has had some sexual experience and has been influenced by the “James Bond” style of seduction and sex or “me Tarzan, you Jane.” After much persuasion, Vanessa has finally consented to go away for a romantic weekend at a seaside resort where Eric has promised to “teach her about sex.” Vanessa is both increasingly anxious about the coming weekend and enjoying fantasies of being “swept away” by the experienced man she assumes Eric is.
1. Given what you have learned in this module’s readings and lectures.
2. What do you think are chances of Vanessa’s first sexual experience being enjoyable?
3. Recognize five factors in the above vignette that could contribute to sexual dysfunction for Vanessa. Clarify how they might cause problems for her.
4. What do you think are the chances of Eric’s sexual experience with Vanessa being enjoyable?
5. Identify five factors in vignette that may contribute to sexual dysfunction for Eric.
6. Explain how they may cause problems for him.
7. Discuss how the sexual dysfunctions that are highly likely to occur for these people could have been prevented.
