Throughout the past several thousand years, women's sexuality has been viewed as sacred, inspiring, evil, dangerous, life-giving, dutiful, pathological, exuberant, uncontrollable...or almost non-existent...but always mysterious...even to women In this book, Dr. Franceen King lifts the veils on one of the most prevalent, yet concealed, sexual secrets of our time: Sleep-Related Female Orgasms Originally prepared as a Doctoral Dissertation (2006), Dr. King asks the question, "Why don't more people know that many women experience (and enjoy) these sleep-related orgasms?" Her research, as she answers this question, will provide reassurance to experiencers of all ages, as well as their partners...and spark the curiosity of many other readers. Although this topic has been neglected in recent sexological studies, Dr. King reveals what is currently known about SRFOs, often erroneously referred to as "nocturnal orgasms," and discusses the biological, psychological, sociological, and cultural factors which likely influence their occurrences. She also discusses the historical fear-based beliefs which have contributed greatly to lack of current discussion. Sixty years ago Alfred Kinsey found that 37% of women in his research sample experienced these by age 45. The percentage is likely much higher today due to social and cultural factors. Yet this author's initial, informal surveys indicated that approximately 70% of American men, and over 25% of women were unaware of them. In one of Dr. King's recent surveys, fully 93% of respondents who experienced SRFOs learned about them from their own experiences, occurring initially at ages under 10 to late 50s. Since lack of knowledge can sometimes lead to distress and confusion, Dr. King decided to make this research available to the public at this time. Written in a scholarly, yet easily understandable tone, with over 200 references, this book is a valuable addition to the library of anyone who desires to learn more about female sexuality.