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<p>The question of where to draw the boundary between what counts as sexual violence and what does not has received growing attention in academic and public discourse. The normalization of sexual violence, combined with dominant gender norms and the power dynamics of sexual negotiation, reveal significant gaps in existing research. This study explores how adult women in Slovakia construct and negotiate sexual boundaries and how they navigate grey-area situations within the framework of sexual scripts and discursive practices. Using feminist relational discourse analysis—a combination of discourse analysis and the Listening Guide—we gathered insights from 30 women through interviews and focus groups. We identified four key discourses shaping sexual boundary-setting: biological/conservative, romantic, postfeminist, and intimacy. We examined how agentic voices of becoming and not-becoming navigate tensions between empowerment and normative pressures embedded in these discourses. While the intimacy discourse allows space for critical reflection, it does not prevent unwanted sexual experiences within entrenched scripts. By exploring lived experiences, this study highlights the intersubjective nature of boundaries and their potential for sexual agency amid conflicting cultural expectations. Our findings have implications for sensitive counseling practices and call for more nuanced discussions of sexual violence that acknowledge the interpersonal and cultural barriers to freely expressing sexual boundaries.</p>

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Beyond Yes and No: Discursive Constructions of Grey Area and Sexual Boundaries in Women’s Lives in Slovakia

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月13日

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  • Miroslava Šudila Žilinská,
  • Gabriel Bianchi

摘要

The question of where to draw the boundary between what counts as sexual violence and what does not has received growing attention in academic and public discourse. The normalization of sexual violence, combined with dominant gender norms and the power dynamics of sexual negotiation, reveal significant gaps in existing research. This study explores how adult women in Slovakia construct and negotiate sexual boundaries and how they navigate grey-area situations within the framework of sexual scripts and discursive practices. Using feminist relational discourse analysis—a combination of discourse analysis and the Listening Guide—we gathered insights from 30 women through interviews and focus groups. We identified four key discourses shaping sexual boundary-setting: biological/conservative, romantic, postfeminist, and intimacy. We examined how agentic voices of becoming and not-becoming navigate tensions between empowerment and normative pressures embedded in these discourses. While the intimacy discourse allows space for critical reflection, it does not prevent unwanted sexual experiences within entrenched scripts. By exploring lived experiences, this study highlights the intersubjective nature of boundaries and their potential for sexual agency amid conflicting cultural expectations. Our findings have implications for sensitive counseling practices and call for more nuanced discussions of sexual violence that acknowledge the interpersonal and cultural barriers to freely expressing sexual boundaries.