Introduction
"The omnipresent process of sex, as it is woven into the whole texture of our man's or woman's body, is the pattern of all the process of life," proclaimed eminent sexologist Havelock Ellis.
No enlightened person would deny the extremely critical role that sexual activity plays in the life of modern man. Led by the early psychological studies of Sigmund Freud, today's psychologists and psychiatrists are delving ever deeper into the sexual side of man's nature. As a result of current investigation into the intimate behavior of man, it becomes evident that certain events in our personal sex histories often exert enormous influence on our psychological well-being and on our overall functions in the realm of social development among other members of our society.
One of the most important of these events, in terms of predicating later sexual associations, has been found to be the circumstance of one's initial sexual experience-that event which would be referred to as the first time. It is now generally agreed upon by the most prominent behaviorial scientists of our day that one's introduction to the mysteries and sensual delights of inter-personal sex invariably figures prominently in subsequent emotional health.
As an example, the Yankowski Report on Premarital Sex, demonstrates a high positive correlation between extramarital sex and premarital sex. It was found that among those individuals who had participated in sexual intercourse before marriage, no less than 98% of the males and 96% of the females went on to engage in extramarital sex after they were married. The study revealed the ages of first premarital intercourse. Among males, 3.5% first indulged in coitus at age 10 or younger; 15% at 11 to 13; 22% at 14 to 16; 47.5% at 17 to 19; 12% at 20 or older. Among females, 4% first engaged in intercourse at 10 or younger; 13% at 11 to 13; 23% at 14 to 16; 29% at 17 to 19; 31% at 20 or older.
In the following case histories, special attention has been given to the initial sex experiences of the individuals interviewed. These interviews have been obtained from the files of psychologists, psychiatrists, and social case workers all across the country. At this point, a word of explanation is in order as to exactly what constitutes one's first sexual experience. For the purpose of our study, we are concerned only with individuals who engage in genital sexual stimulation to the point of orgasm. We have not included information about one's first masturbatory experience, for example, nor about one's first non-consummated sexual desire. We are interested here exclusively in those cases in which an individual participated in actual sexual intercourse with another partner.
It is necessary, of course, to take into consideration an extremely variable sample of partners. Although the most common partner for one's initial sex experience might be a human being of the opposite sex, who is approximately the same age as the participant, many exceptions regularly occur. For that reason, we have included the case histories of persons whose initial intercourse took place with partners who differed widely from the participant in all the areas mentioned. Some are homosexual experiences, some are experiences involving partners many years older than the individual participating in sex for the first time, and one case history even involves a non-human partner. It is only through examination of every possible kind of initial sex experience that we will be able to gain any insight into the phenomenon as a whole.
What, in the last analysis, do we hope to gain from the examination of case histories such as these? There are many answers. One benefit of paramount importance is that we will be able to decide, on the basis of the individual's subsequent psychological health, whether the circumstances of the initial intercourse has any direct bearing on their later lives. Since all of our case histories involve information secured a considerable number of years after the occurance of the first time, we are in the position of being able to utilize hindsight in the assessment of any emotional problems that might exist at the time of the interview.
In addition, we hope to gain insight into the motivations and thought processes of the individuals involved. Are the activities and situations related in these interviews "normal" or do they represent a statistically abnormal sample which would not be applicable to society as a whole?
Finally, let us approach these case histories with a view towards assimilating the information presented here for our own edification. Only an enlightened society can respond with intelligence and understanding to the personal and social problems inevitable in a time of such explosive and demanding dilemmas as those which we find ourselves facing today.
Keeping in mind the overwhelming importance of one's initial sexual experience as-potentially at least-a sort of prognosticate of future emotional health, let us now examine the feelings and drives of a widely differing group of persons as they experience that all-important incident-the first time.