WELCOME TO SENSUALI’S INAUGURAL SEXDEX, THE SEX INDUSTRY’S REPORT ON THE HOTTEST TRENDS DEFINING OUR SEXUAL CULTURE RIGHT NOW.
Sex is innately personal. Getting a glimpse of what’s happening behind closed doors isn’t exactly easy.
One source of insight, however, comes in the form of our internet search habits and the sex acts we look up on our phones and laptops. Through this data, we gain a unique perspective into the sexual landscape and the behaviours and trends currently shaping it.
Index - top10
Sensuali analysed more than 100 kink related keywords over a 10 and 5 year period using Google Trend data to gain insights into the evolving kink scene in the UK and to find out the hottest sex trends whetting the nation’s appetite, we present below the top 10 key kinks.
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The global sextech industry was worth £24 billion in 2021, £25.1 billion in 2022. It’s expected to grow to £42.1 billion by 2026. And with an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.71% from 2023 to 2023, sextech’s star will continue to rise.
TRENDING UPWARDS
What we’re looking for…
The data revealed the 5 highest trending keywords analysed were ‘gooning’, ‘femboy, ‘findom’, ‘shibari’, and ‘thirst trap’, and much of that increased interest can be attributed to the last five years. Sensuali’s research found that these keywords had high engagement on social media, highlighting that younger generations are a driving force behind these trending terms.
The data revealed a shift from generalised terminology to more specific kinks, which could indicate that Brits are deepening their understanding of what BDSM and kink means and the myriad ways in which one can practise these acts.
The data revealed a shift from generalised terminology to more specific kinks, which could indicate that Brits are deepening their understanding of what BDSM and kink means and the myriad ways in which one can practise these acts.
TRENDING DOWNWARDS
Bye bye, spanking!
Our interest in spanking is on the decline. The term ‘spanking’ decreased at the fastest rate of all kink related keywords over 10 years.
Sex journalist Beth Ashley (@bethashleywriter) says she’s noticed the demise of spanking, with many people she’s spoken to stating that they really dislike the act. She believes that increased conversations around consent and sex positivity have led to people reconsidering sex acts that were previously considered de rigeur.
Sex journalist Beth Ashley (@bethashleywriter) says she’s noticed the demise of spanking, with many people she’s spoken to stating that they really dislike the act. She believes that increased conversations around consent and sex positivity have led to people reconsidering sex acts that were previously considered de rigeur.
PEOPLE HAVE REALISED THAT THEY NEVER LIKED SPANKING IN THE FIRST PLACE
“I think it’s partly a rise in us taking autonomy of our sex life and having more conversations about consent, more conversations about having active rather than passive sex, where you’re actually involved in the curation of your sex and what happens to your body and how you seek and give pleasure,” says Ashley. “People have realised that they never like spanking in the first place — obviously, unless you’re a big spanker, and that’s your kink. A lot of people go, why were we ever doing this? I think we were just doing it because it was the thing to do or because it was in porn.”
The dog days are over
Interest in ‘dogging’ has been on the decline for all regions over the past 10 years. Ashley says this decline in dogging interest could be owed to the rise in sex parties — including the likes of Killing Kittens, Crossbreed, Klub Verboten, Torture Garden — which afford us venues designed specifically to cater to our exhibitionist kinks.
Other societal shifts in attitudes toward sexual activities in public spaces have also contributed to this decline. Increased surveillance, stricter law enforcement, and a growing emphasis on public decency have made engaging in outdoor sexual encounters riskier and less appealing.
The dog days are over
Interest in ‘dogging’ has been on the decline for all regions over the past 10 years. Ashley says this decline in dogging interest could be owed to the rise in sex parties — including the likes of Killing Kittens, Crossbreed, Klub Verboten, Torture Garden — which afford us venues designed specifically to cater to our exhibitionist kinks.
Other societal shifts in attitudes toward sexual activities in public spaces have also contributed to this decline. Increased surveillance, stricter law enforcement, and a growing emphasis on public decency have made engaging in outdoor sexual encounters riskier and less appealing.