Masturbation, paying for sex, and other sexual activities: the Second Australian Study of Health and Relationships

• DOI: 10.1071/sh14116
• Publication Date: 2014-11-07T04:24:18Z
• Authors: Juliet Richters; Richard O. de Visser; Paul B. Badcock; Anthony M. A. Smith; Chris Rissel; Judy M. Simpson; Andrew E. Grulich
• Keywords: anzsrc-for: 42 Health Sciences; 150; 42 Health Sciences; anzsrc-for: 4405 Gender Studies; anzsrc-for: 16 Studies in Human Society; Reproductive health and childbirth; 300; anzsrc-for: 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; anzsrc-for: 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 5. Gender equality; Clinical Research; Women's Health; anzsrc-for: 44 Human Society; 4405 Gender Studies; 0305 other medical science; 44 Human Society

Background This study describes the prevalence of (solo) masturbation, paying for sex and a range of other sexual practices among Australians. Methods: A representative sample of 20 094 men and women aged 16–69 years (participation rate among eligible people, 66.2%) were recruited by landline and mobile phone random-digit dialling and computer-assisted telephone interviews in 2012–13. Results: Many respondents (men, 72%; women, 42%) had masturbated in the past year. Half (51%) of the men and 24% of women had masturbated in the past 4 weeks. In the past year, more than two-fifths of respondents (men, 63%; women, 20%) had looked at pornography in any medium. Approximately 15% of men and 21% of women had used a sex toy. Digital-anal stimulation with a partner was practised by 19% of men and 15% of women, and oral-anal stimulation by 7% of men and 4% of women. Sexual role playing or dressing up were engaged in by 7–8%. Online sex, swinging, group sex, BDSM (bondage and discipline, ‘sadomasochism’ or dominance and submission) and fisting (rectal or vaginal) were each engaged in by less than 3% of the sample. Seventeen per cent of men said they had ever paid for sex; 2% had done so in the past year. Conclusion: Most of the solo practices studied were engaged in by more men than women, but women were more likely to have used a sex toy. Autoerotic activities are both substitutes for partnered sex and additional sources of pleasure for people with sexual partners.