The review examines sexual aggression in mammals

A recent review of published studies in non-human mammals examines “sexual disturbance” or male behavior towards a female during mating which can be costly to the female, for example, which could inflict physical harm or cause separation between mother and son. The results are published in Mammalian Review.

The author, Marcelo H. Cassini, Ph.D., of the Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Argentina, found that sexual disorders were frequent in 4 of the 32 mammalian orders examined: Primates, Artiodactyla, Carnivora and Cetacea, which all include species with polygyny (in which one male mates with multiple females). The most common response of females to sexual disturbances was grouping around a dominant male.

The most common expression of sexual conflict around copulation has been seen in behaviors associated with attempts at female retention that cause minor harm. Research suggests that the most common female response to sexual disorders includes grouping of women around a dominant male.

More research is needed to see if sexual disorders affect the reproductive success of males and females.

“This review suggests that sexual assault is a rare behavior among thousands of mammalian species,” said Dr Cassini.