Forget the ménage à trois: Brits’ biggest sexual fantasy is erotic role-play, a survey suggests.
The survey of more than 3,500 Britons suggests a third of the country is more interested in engaging in erotic role-playing games with a partner.
These scenarios included pretending to be strangers or exploring a “teacher/student” dynamic, according to the “Let’s Talk About Sex” report by telehealth company Hims & Hers.
But there are also other, more specific sexual fetishes: approximately one in 20 Britons is interested in practising “objectophilia”.
This is when a person is interested in “having a sexual or romantic relationship with an inanimate object.”
The survey, conducted by telehealth company Hims & Hers Health, of more than 3,500 Britons suggests that a third of the country is more interested in engaging in erotic role-playing with a partner. File image
The ‘inanimate object’, whether a sex toy or a lamp, preferred by those interested in objectophilia was not specified in the report.
While erotic role-playing reigned supreme with 32 per cent of Brits surveyed interested in arousing fictional scenarios, in second place was the pursuit of a “dominant-submissive relationship” at 17 per cent.
Dom and sub mean dominant and submissive respectively and is a relationship in which one person has consensually agreed to have power over the other.
Sexual voyeurism, the act of watching others perform sexual acts, followed closely behind at 16 percent.
Around one in six Britons (14 per cent) were interested in trying “dry dating”, which is considered a “sexual trend” where people go on dates without drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
A similar proportion of Britons (13 percent) wanted a “sugar relationship” in which one partner offers financial rewards in exchange for companionship or intimacy.
More than one in 10 Britons (11 per cent) said they were interested in pegging, a sexual act in which one person uses a sex toy to have anal sex with another person.
More specific sexual fetishes were also mentioned, with around one in 20 Britons interested in practising “objectophilia” – when a person is interested in “having a sexual or romantic relationship with an inanimate object”.
The same proportion were interested in polyamory, which is the act of having multiple sexual partners without the goal of a relationship.
While voyeurism was among the top three sexual fantasies of Britons, the opposite side of the coin, exhibitionism – the act of being watched while engaging in sexual activity – was less popular: only 10 per cent of people wanted to do it.
Cuckolding, a type of role-playing in which an individual “forces” their partner to watch them “cheat” on them, was also niche: only one in 10 Britons expressed a desire to pursue this fetish.
As with other fantasies listed, the survey did not detail which aspect of this sexual trend Brits were most interested in trying.
In addition to objectophilia, other weird fantasies included getting paid to provide sexy photos and videos on a platform like OnlyFans (9 percent) and having a partner use their feet.
Overall, the survey found that when asked what would improve their sex life, most Britons did not say more sex.
About 67 percent said trying a different type of sex would improve their intimate relationship.
Dr Denise Asafu-Adjei, a urologist at Hims & Hers, commented on the results: “People have become more curious. They are doing much more than we are assessing.”
Another aspect of the report looked at how much sex Britons were having in different parts of the country.
Nationally, 55 percent of Britons reported having sex at least once a week – 59 percent of men and 51 percent of women.
Londoners were well above the national average: 67 percent said they enjoyed a romantic encounter at least once a week.
They were followed by those from the North West (57 per cent) and lovers of the East Midlands (56 per cent).
Nationally, 55 percent of Britons reported having sex at least once a week, rising to 59 percent of men and falling to 51 percent of women.
Northern Ireland was at the opposite end of the spectrum, with less than half (44 per cent) of people reporting having sex weekly.
Wales and the East of England followed, where residents ranked second to last at just 49 percent.
However, the survey also revealed that Britons suspect we have sex far more than we actually do.
Respondents were asked what proportion of Britons thought they had sex at least once a week and the average was 81 per cent, 26 percentage points higher than the reality.
Dr Asafu-Adjei said it was crucial to remember that there was no “normal” amount of sex that people should aim for.
“It’s hard to convince people that there really is no such thing as a standard sex life,” he said.
“There’s a spectrum and I feel like people have a false sense (that there’s a number). It’s really different for every person.”
