{"id":772,"date":"2020-01-13T16:39:19","date_gmt":"2020-01-13T16:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=772"},"modified":"2023-03-23T18:20:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T18:20:05","slug":"uk-top-sexual-fetishes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/uk-top-sexual-fetishes\/","title":{"rendered":"Bed ideas: The UK’s top sexual fetishes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s face it, <\/span>Brits are often portrayed as a prudish and uptight bunch,<\/span> but new research has uncovered that this might not be the case, at least in the bedroom.\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

To celebrate <\/span>International Fetish day (Jan 21st)<\/b>, research conducted by <\/span>Vivastreet<\/span><\/a>, has revealed Britain\u2019s kinkiest and fairly out-there sexual fetishes, and to put it mildly, the results are enough to make you blush.<\/span><\/p>\n

It seems that Brits really are a bawdy bunch, with fetishes such as BDSM<\/a>, swinging<\/a>, and voyeurism<\/a>, all revealed as some of the UK\u2019s top kinks.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, what are the most searched sexual fetishes in the UK?<\/b><\/p>\n

Top Fetishes in the UK<\/b><\/h2>\n

So what makes something a fetish? As defined by the Oxford dictionary, a “fetish is a form of sexual desire in which gratification depends to an abnormal degree on some object, item of clothing or part of the body.”<\/span><\/p>\n

According to certified sexological bodyworker & somatic sex educator, Stella Anna Sonnenbaum \u201csexual fetishes are very common and can show up in teenage years, or much earlier in childhood.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

To further explore the public\u2019s turn-ons, using Google data, the below fetishes see some of the most online searches in the UK, with a whopping 563,160<\/span> combined monthly searches.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism) tops the list with an impressive 165,000<\/strong> monthly searches while Anal<\/a> has 90,500<\/strong> online searches, Dogging- 74,000<\/strong>, Voyeurism –\u00a060,500<\/strong>, and Spanking with 40,500<\/strong>\u00a0searches on the web, round up the top 5.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more about the definitions and types of fetishes.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Infographic<\/p>\n

Sin City: Top Fetishes per City <\/b><\/h2>\n

Aside from revealing the top kinks in the country, the research also revealed which cities are the biggest hotspots for the nation\u2019s favourite fetishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

For most cities, searches for BDSM by far topped all other fetishes\u00a0 – showcasing that the nation\u2019s obsession with Fifty Shades of Grey clearly does not appear to be dwindling.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is of no surprise to <\/span>certified sex coach, sexologist and author of <\/span>All<\/span><\/i> The F*c<\/span><\/i>king Mistakes: a guide to sex, love, and life – <\/span><\/i>Gigi Engle<\/a>, who argues that BDSM has actually \u201cdated back centuries.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

She goes on to say that \u201cfear and discomfort around bondage and kink typically comes out of misunderstanding what BDSM is\u2014and is not. A lot of the time, we fear what we don’t know. Bondage and BDSM is not about physically and emotionally harming one another, it\u2019s about a consensual exchange of power between two (or more depending on context) consenting adults.\u201d
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

London sexual\u2019s appetite broke the trend, however, with searches for swinging and swingers<\/a> taking the top spot as the number one fetish for the Capital. <\/span><\/p>\n

This result coincides with <\/span>recent research<\/span>, which found that approximately 1.5 Brits are taking up the practice of partner exchanging.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sex<\/a><\/p>\n

Local turn-ons<\/b><\/h2>\n

Interestingly, aside from BDSM, fetishes such as dogging, anal, latex & leather,<\/span> the latter of which Stonnenbaum says \u201care one of the most common fetishes\u201d<\/em> and voyeurism <\/span>made the top 5 kinks for most cities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, voyeurism also appeared to be a rising erotism for many cities – meaning that we Brits don\u2019t always have to be involved to get our kicks going. <\/span><\/p>\n

The rise of voyeurism is no surprise to Gigi who believes \u201cthere <\/em><\/span>is a little of both the voyeur and exhibitionist in all of us.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/em>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Gigi, \u201c<\/span>there is something very sexy about watching people have sex – just look at how we consume pornography! There is also something hot and dangerous about the possibility of getting caught while having sex.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Certified<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Summer Loving<\/b><\/h2>\n

Analysing monthly fetish search trends, it\u2019s no surprise that frisky and adventurous sexual fetishes saw online searches peak in the Summer months.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Certified
\nWith kinks such as outdoor sex and dogging seeing the highest online searches in July. <\/span>According to <\/span>Sonnenbaum, “<\/em><\/span>testosterone in men usually reaches higher levels in the summer months, which would explain an increase in sexual activity generally – not just concerning fetishes.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Sex-positive<\/a> events facilitator and curator, Marti Birch agrees with Sonnenbaum citing that people<\/span> generally “react positively to a warmer weather, wanting to enjoy ourselves and connect with others. That\u2019s when our brains get activated and fantasies can flow into heads more easily.”
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

In contrast, role-playing saw a spike in searches at the start of Autumn – a time where according to research, sexual activity is usually at its lowest – so adding something to spice up the bedroom<\/a> antics is perhaps not that surprising.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Data<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whereas, it seems that leather and latex in the heat don\u2019t mix, with both kinks showcasing an obvious surge in online searches during the winter months.<\/p>\n

Future Sex Trends<\/b><\/h2>\n

With the popularity of fetishes continuing to grow, our research also looked into the growing trend of online searches for each fetish, giving us a snapshot of how popular these fetishes could be in 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The rise of fetishes could be in part, down to the internet and popular media. Birch agrees, citing that \u201c<\/span>Media and internet allow us to connect widely with others who have similar inclinations. That certainly increases a sense of belonging and connection which directly help us to feel less ashamed for who we are and how we express ourselves sexually.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Are Fetishes Good?<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re interested in any of the following, our research clearly shows that you are not alone. <\/span>What is more, <\/span>according to a <\/span>previous study<\/span><\/a>, at least half of us are interested in sexual activities considered outside the “norm”.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Sex<\/p>\n


\nWhen participating in a fetish it\u2019s important to ensure all parties are safe. This is reinforced by <\/span>Gigi Engle<\/span>. According to Gigi, the three things that matter the most when exploring fetishes are: \u201cconsent, communication and safer sex practices.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

She explains that “If you have a fetish, no matter what that fetish may be you need to have consent to explore it with a partner, communicate everything you want to try thoroughly with your partner, and to practice safer sex<\/a> with condoms, barrier methods, PreP, or whatever birth control and STI prevention you and your partner determine you need before engaging in sexual activity of any kind.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Stella Anna <\/span><\/i>Sonnenbaum reinforces the idea of having a reliable partner, adding that \u201ca trusted partner is the best option to stay safe, however, your second choice might be an experienced and skilled practitioner, <\/span><\/i>sex worker<\/span><\/i><\/a> or dominatrix.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Marti Birch concludes that when it comes to exploring your sexual fetish “your wellbeing should be always a priority.”<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A special thank you to the following experts:<\/p>\n

Gigi Engle:<\/b> All The F*cking Mistakes: a guide to sex, love, and life<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/i><\/a>Stella Anna Sonnebaum:<\/b> Stella with Love<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/i><\/a>Marti Birch:<\/strong> Sound of Birch<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n


\nStudy methodology<\/em>
\nUsing Google Trends data for the most searched fetishes for 2021, we analysed the cities searching for these sexual fetish queries the most, by applying search volume data from the Google Adwords Keyword Planner, correct as of 1st Jan 2021.<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

<\/i>Fair Use<\/em>
\n<\/b>We grant permission to use the images found on this page freely. When doing so, we ask that you kindly attribute us by linking to <\/span><\/i>Vivastreet.co.uk<\/span><\/i><\/a> and this<\/span><\/i> page<\/span><\/i> so that your readers can understand this content in its truthful context.<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s face it, Brits are often portrayed as a prudish and uptight bunch, but new research has uncovered that this might not be the case, at least in the bedroom.\u00a0 To celebrate International Fetish day (Jan 21st), research conducted by Vivastreet, has revealed Britain\u2019s kinkiest and fairly out-there sexual fetishes, and to put it mildly, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"CBBTypography":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[223],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sex-and-relationships"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=772"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}