Aging and Women’s Sexuality

We present results of our research, which has been aimed at understanding the experience, practice, and sexual life in women over 50 years of age. We studied a sample of 729 women of between 50 and 80 years of age. The research is part of qualitative feminist research methodology. Both qualitative and quantitative data have been collected through focus groups and a questionnaire drawn up by our research team. The results show the satisfaction of older women-of all ages-with their sex life and the importance of contextual and relational sexuality issues of women. Autoeroticism is the most established sexual practice in this group of older women and highlights who want to experience some changes in their current sex life around the desire for a more sensual and emotional sexuality, with a claim of more passionate and frequent relations. The data collected reveal a qualitative difference in the reality of sex over the age of 70.