Pollock, Scarlet (1983) Women, sexuality and contraception. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The relationship between women's contraceptive experiences and
the social relations in which they take place has been little explored
to date, either empirically or theoretically. The importance of such
an approach lies in its ability to perceive women's contraceptive
concerns, capacities and problems, as socially and politically derived
rather than as the consequence of individual/couple/group inadequacies.
The position of women in society is central to this perspective. The
search for a theoretical framework which allows for visibility of the
social relations between women and men, and the potential for explanation,
is as significant in this research process as the gathering of empirical
data.
A small scale qualitative study was undertaken to explore the
experiences of women with sexuality and contraception. The decisions
and actions women took regarding contraception, the problems they
encountered and the information they received provided the focus for
data collection and analysis. In—depth, semi—structured interviews
with a random sample of fifty women postgraduate full—time students
at the University of Warwick were conducted in the Summer Term of 1977.
The sample was deliberately highly selective for motivation, access to
information, alternative career possiblities and experience with
contraception. The purpose of this selection was to highlight the
experiences and difficulties with contraception faced by even those
women in a relatively good social position, and thereby to indicate
the problems in contracepting likely to affect all women.
Data analysis revealed three major areas of social relations
to influence the conditions in which women made decisions and took
actions: first, the arena of personal sexual relationships; second,
the quantity and quality of information received about sexuality and
contraception; and third, the field of contraceptive health care services
encountered. The sex—based division engendering social relations
of male domination and female subordination were seen to be operable
in each of these areas. The social and political relations of this
sexual hierarchy emerged as central to the understanding of the
experiences of women in the study with sexuality and contraception.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Contraception, Women -- Sexual behavior, Women -- Social conditions, Man-woman relationships, Male domination (Social structure)
Official Date:	January 1983
Dates:	Date Event January 1983 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Sociology
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Stacey, Margaret
Sponsors:	Social Science Research Council (Great Britain)
Extent:	vii, 337 leaves
Language:	eng

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