Fear of sexual activity can have many origins, for example:

• Sexual abuse, incest or rape
• Trauma from surgery or accident
• Frightening messages from parents, relatives, religious leaders, friends etc
• Lack of awareness: physical and biological
• Performance anxiety
• Sexual aversion
• Fear of penetration

Women often attend for therapy without naming their fear or understanding its origins, they may come with another issue concerning their sexuality and their relationship see Unconsummated Marriage or Relationship and survivors of Sexual Abuse. Identifying the fear can in itself be helpful. Depending on the origin of the fear different treatment approaches can be offered. For some women being given accurate non-threatening information which is not clouded by folklore or anecdote is of great support, the therapist will be able to show the woman drawings and photographs, and direct her to informed literature and video material which will allay her anxieties and fears.

After a while, a specially graded form of Sex Therapy will be used, whether the woman has a partner or not.

For some women a more intensive psychotherapeutic approach may be necessary to uncover the factors that led to their fear and, through therapy, come to a place of understanding and resolution. This ia often so when there has been Sexual Abuse.