Women's orgasms in Senegal: an exploratory mixed methods study of orgasm frequency, pleasure, and meaning among Senegalese women.

The objective of this study was to provide a better understanding of representations and behaviours related to sexual pleasure and orgasm among women in Dakar, Senegal, measure their frequency, and analyse some of their determinants. We used a mixed methods approach with data being collected from a qualitative sample (N = 10) and a quantitative convenience sample (N = 155). Data were analysed separately and integrated only at the interpretative stage, with equal weight being given to each type of data. As in Western societies, sexual pleasure, satisfaction and orgasm were interconnected among women in Dakar. Quantitative data revealed a pleasure gap similar to that observed in Western societies: 63% of women claimed to orgasm 'often' or 'always' during intercourse. However, closer analysis as well as the discourses elicited indicated that its magnitude could be greater in the general population. Several of the findings indicate how economic factors shape sexual well-being in Dakar, with there being a significant association between socioeconomic status and sexual satisfaction (r(153df)=0.208; p < 0.01). The role of religious prescriptions in respect of women's sexual pleasure remains complex.