The phobia of penile penetration, an unknown sexual disorder

Penile penetration phobia is a little-known female sexual disorder. Often confused with vaginismus, it is characterized by a fear of penetration by a penis unrelated to the apprehension of pain. Doctor in psychology, sexologist and psychotherapist, Magalie Guerrier-Benoit tells us more.

If you are unable to have penetrating sex with your spouse, the first instinct is often to think of vaginismus. This sexual disorder affects between 1 and 3% of women and can sometimes steal the show from other less well-known pathologies. This is the case of the phobia of penile penetration (PPP). Dr. Magalie Guerrier-Benoit published in May 2023 the book Penetration phobia in order to shed light on this issue that is often overlooked, even by health professionals. Psychologist, sexologist and psychotherapist, she answered our questions on the subject.

The phobia of penile penetration it is an intense and irrational fear of experiencing male penile penetration, unrelated to pain”. In cases of vaginismus, all penetrations are impossible: “the body will shut down just at the thought of penetration.” As part of a PPP, the patient can experience penetrations (medical auscultations, masturbation even with sex toys, etc.) except those of a male penis. There really is a total study to be done. Since I started working, I must have come across about twenty patients suffering from PPP. They are less numerous than vaginal ones, but they still exist.”

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“If I am pregnant, people will know that I had sex”

When they push the door of Dr. Guerrier-Benoît’s office, women with phobia of penile penetration often think they are suffering from vaginismus. Most of them meet the sexologist as part of the assisted reproduction course. They wish to have children, but cannot go as far as penetration with their spouse. These women, they look alike. If there are identification points they are the following” :

  • The family liabilities : “the taboos and prohibitions placed around sexuality in particular, which stem from patriarchy.”.
  • Religion : “Christianity, Islam, Judaism… Even if they are not religious, they often had a certain religious weight in their education, with an emphasis on virginity.”
  • The ignorance of their body.


In the phobia of penile penetration, it is not the pain that is the object of fear, but the penis itself. As with all phobias, this one is irrational and based on negative representations of the male gender or sexuality. “At one time, we realized that there were a lot of pigeon phobias. The Alfred Hitchcock film had come out and people were leaving the cinema in total panic at the thought of being attacked by pigeons. In the PPP it is the same thing.” The fear of sexuality, the fear of disappointing one’s family or the shame that is associated with sex play a big role. “One of my patients told me: ‘if i’m pregnant, people will know that i had sex.’ For them it is shame.” Shame is one of the main causes of sexual problems in women. “I only have that! All non-organic sexual disorders (excluding lesions, endometriosis, etc.) that I receive in the office are related to this kind of thing.”

In her book, Doctor Guerrier-Benoît tells the story of Samira. She meets her as part of an accompaniment to the PMA. She has a desire for a child, loves her husband, but cannot consummate their union. “During a discussion group, she confided to me: ‘Since I got married, I can no longer look my father in the eye. This one always warned her for her first time by saying to her: ‘in any case, the day when you do it, I will know it. A man’s sex always leaves a trace. The young woman is convinced that this first time could injure or even cripple her for life.Parents are there to protect their children from danger, if my father protected me so much, it is because the danger must really be very great” explains Samira to the psychotherapist.

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Get out of the vicious circle to free yourself from PPP

This type of disorder can be very deeply implanted in the minds of patients. But with the right follow-up, the improvements can be dazzling. “Phobia works in a vicious circle. The more we avoid the phobic object, the less we will be exposed to it, and the more we will be afraid. The less I miss a pigeon, the more dangerous the pigeon seems.” As in the treatment of phobia, PPP is attenuated by exposure to the object of fear, here, the partner’s penis.

“It’s really pedagogy. We are going to be in a psychological and physical accompaniment which cannot be done without a therapist. (…) In the PPP, the negative message is always transmitted by a ‘father’, a person who represents knowledge. When they come to the sexologist, we take back this place of authority figure. We transmit our truth, and it works.” The follow-up also consists of series of exercises, alone and with the spouses who have a preponderant role in the treatment. Throughout the management of the PPP, they are also invited to participate in the sessions with their spouses. “Another thing these women have in common is that their husbands are very understanding, and very involved.”

In just a few sessions, improvements can be visible, and this is also why Magalie Guerrier-Benoît wishes to highlight this disorder. “I realized that these cases were not so rare, and that they should not be forgotten.” With the writing of this book, she hopes to enable both patients and her colleagues to better understand and better detect the phobia of penile penetration.

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