Swept Away: Why Women Fear Their Own Sexuality

by Carol Cassell

Examines the persistence of sexual double standards and ambiguity in spite of the "sexual revolution."

206 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1984

About the author

Dr. Carol Cassell is a national leader in the field of sexuality, recognized for her nation-wide research work with the prestigious Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She is a certified sexuality educator and past president of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, western region.
Dr. Cassell’s books have been acclaimed by USA Today to Psychology Today to the Journal of Sex Research, cited in the popular and professional press, and published in 5 languages. In addition to WHY KNOCKED UP? , she has authored Put Passion First: Why Sexual Chemistry is the Key to Finding and Keeping a Lasting Love, Swept Away: Why Women Confuse Love and Sex, and Straight From the Heart: How to Talk to Teens About Love and Sex. She has co-edited The Source Book for Sexuality Education and written chapters in several books including the Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality.
Known for her practical down-to-earth advice and sense of humor, Carol Cassell is a popular keynote speaker and her presentations are highly rated as "thought provoking," "practical," and "entertaining." She has appeared on numerous radio and television programs such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, 60 Minutes and others ranging from the news to chats over morning coffee. She has been a quoted expert on topics related to love and sex in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and women’s magazines including O Magazine and Cosmopolitan.
Dr. Cassell has received every top honor in her field including the Public Service Award from The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, the Researcher of the Year Award from Healthy Teen Network, a Spirit of Service award for her lifetime achievements in adolescent pregnancy prevention; a Planned Parenthood APPLE award for outstanding leadership in sexuality education; and The Family Institute’s Margaret Sanger Award for her advocacy work promoting sexual health education. She has served on many national boards of directors including the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unintended Pregnancy.
Most of all, Carol is honored to have been a Peace Corp family, way back in its early years--with four young kids in tow--serving in the Dominican Republic.
Carol lives in Albuquerque, NM with her partner Bob and a collection of Big Band music. She directs Critical Pathways, a consulting practice.
Web sites: www.carolcassell.com and www.unintendedpregnancy.com

Reviews

[Robin L]

This was a great book. I enjoyed how easy it flows with relative examples making it comprehensive. The author did a great job expressing her theory of how women of the 1980’s needed to re-think their sexuality and how they approached sex and relationships.

[Merrie Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for any woman that finds herself falling for the wrong men over and over again. Especially if you feel a deep connection after one brief romantic encounter. It explains why women have more difficulty than men differentiating sex and love. For most women sex is love, rather sex is a way to show love. So we get emotionally swept away, while the man of the moment is feeding his physical needs. Not all encounters have to be based on a deep emotional need, this book helped me realize that. It also explains why a guy says he will call then doesn't.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

While somewhat dated- as it came out in 1984- it is still incredibly valuable and addresses some of the most complex issues in the areas of sex and intimacy.......
Well worth anyone's time who cares about such things.......