Sexual Health And Pleasure After Disaster

This piece argues that although sexual pleasure is a core motivator for sex and deeply connected to emotional, physical, and relational well-being, it is routinely ignored in sexual health education, healthcare, and especially in crisis response. During disasters—whether acute events like earthquakes or prolonged crises like displacement or pandemics—sexual pleasure may serve as coping, comfort, or connection, yet sexual desire and satisfaction can also decline due to stress, hormonal changes, and disrupted living conditions. Despite the well-documented rise in sexual and reproductive health risks during crises—such as sexual violence, unintended pregnancy, poor perinatal care, and gaps in STI prevention—SRHR services are often sidelined, treated as optional rather than essential. These omissions disproportionately harm vulnerable groups, including adolescents, low-income women, LGBTQ+ people, migrants, and sex workers. The author calls for integrating comprehensive SRHR, including pleasure-informed approaches, into emergency planning at every level, emphasizing provider training, better referral systems, stockpiling supplies, and culturally responsive care to ensure that sexual health is recognized as a fundamental component of crisis preparedness and response.