Psychological determinants of «Sexual Sabotage» as a form of sex refusal to the marital partner

The article presents the results of a study conducted in Ukraine (2024) on a woman's refusal to have sex with her marital partner, which correlates with the concept of «sexual sabotage». Through modeling techniques and a transdisciplinary approach, the meaning of the term «sabotage» is clarified and applied in the field of human sexual behavior research. It has been established that «sexual sabotage» can manifest as a denial of sex to a partner through avoidance, manipulation, and protest behavior, which is driven by both conscious and unconscious factors. The manifestations of sexual sabotage in a woman's behavior are determined by her childhood sexual development experience, the evaluative attitude of her relatives toward the manifestations of her sexuality, the openness of sexual topics in the parental family and their accessibility in discussing sexual education topics, as well as the experience of the first sexual contact and the amount of information received about sex. It has been proven that obtaining information about sex through literature and peers (without the participation of supportive adults) increases a woman's fears of sexual intimacy and can further provoke the development of painful symptoms during intercourse. It has been established that a decline in sexual function at the individual level is directly related to refusals to have sex, while its increase is associated with the feeling of sexual satisfaction based on partner interaction. Based on factor analysis, it was found that the refusal of sex, as a form of sexual sabotage, is rooted in the biased rejection of the partner, which is determined by negative or restrictive sexual experiences in the parental family and by women’s behavior driven by imaginary self-preservation. In contrast, the establishment of healthy sexual relationships is based on partner interaction and trust. «Sexual sabotage», as a newly defined topic in the field of domestic psychological research, introduces a new area of scientific inquiry that requires further focused study and clarification and represents a promising avenue for future research.