The Netherlands Autism Register, in collaboration with Rutgers, is conducting a study on sexuality and relationships of persons with autism in the Netherlands. This research will contribute to a better understanding of the unique aspects of sexuality, relationships and care for persons with autism, and the results will be compared with Rutgers data on the general Dutch population.
Purpose of the study
Our aim is to understand the experiences, opinions and needs regarding sexuality and relationships of persons with autism. By comparing this data with data from the general population of the Netherlands, we can identify specific needs or concerns for the group of persons with autism. Through your participation in the study, you will contribute to the knowledge around sexuality and autism.
Who can participate?
We invite adults with autism, aged 18 and over, to participate in this study. You decide whether to participate in the study. Participation is voluntary. If you decide not to participate, you do not have to do anything else. You also do not have to say why you do not want to participate. If you do participate, you can always change your mind and stop completing the questionnaire anyway. If you decide to quit before completing the questionnaire, your answers will not be included in the study.
Content of the questionnaire
This questionnaire covers various topics, including experiences with sex and satisfaction with it, sexual preference, sexual problems, contraception and experiences with unwanted sex or sexual abuse.
The questions have been carefully compiled by Rutgers. Rutgers is an expert in sexuality and sexual health research. However, it may be the case that (the wording of) some questions or answer options do not fit as well with the experience of people with autism. We have chosen these questions because only then can the answers compare well with the data already collected by Rutgers. We only ask for information that is essential for this study.
Please note: Some questions can be personal, intimate or confrontational, such as the questions about unwanted sexual experiences. We realise that these questions can sometimes be difficult and trigger unpleasant memories. Therefore, we inform you about these questions in this information letter so that you can make an informed decision whether or not to participate in the study.
Confidentiality of data
We understand that the proper handling of personal information is very important. To protect your privacy, we give your personal information, such as your name or email address a code. We keep the code in a secure place at the university. When we process your data, we always use only that code and never your personal data, such as your name or email address. Results of the research are only fed back at the group level. Even in reports and publications about the research, no one can trace back that it was about you. All of your data will remain confidential. NAR's data collection complies with the AVG requirements.
You can find more information about how the NAR handles your data on our website.
Need more information or help?
Have you completed the questionnaire and would like to know more about certain topics? Go to Rutgers' Sexuality website.
Would you like to talk to someone after completing the questionnaire? If so, chat, email or call MIND Korrelatie.
Would you like to talk about an experience of sex against your will or sexual abuse? Then you can also chat or call the Centre for Sexual Violence.
A full debrief of this survey can be found at the end of the questionnaire or here.
