Here’s Why These 21 Women Left Their Sexless Marriages

8.

“Sadly, this has been my reality not once but twice. My first marriage lasted 24 years. We were part of ‘purity culture’ and never even really kissed before we were married. From the get-go, things in the bedroom were very bad. We had absolutely no chemistry. And because we were part of a fundamental Christian church, I was still expected to have sex with my husband at least three times a week. After several decades of this, it came out that he had a ‘secret life’ where he finally admitted to a pornography addiction and continual extra-marital affairs. He actually filed for divorce.”

“Determined to never let that happen again, I left the Christian church and dated a man with whom I had an incredible physical connection. Unfortunately, shortly after we married, his job transferred him, and I could not go with him. When he returned the following year, he was completely uninterested in sex. Despite a lot of therapy and even seeing a sex therapist, this was never resolved. I finally made the difficult decision after four years that I was not willing to again live in a marriage without sex. I realize that I may never have a partner again in this life. However to me, I would rather be alone than live in a marriage without intimacy.”

—Anonymous, 58, North Carolina