Public sex

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Carracci Angelique et Medor.jpg
Engraving by Jacques Joseph Coiny, Angelique et Medor. 1798
Martin van Maele - Francion 15.jpg
Martin van Maële's print Francion 15 depicts a couple engaging in foreplay outdoors

Public sex is sexual activity that takes place in a public context. It refers to one or more persons performing a sex act in a public place, or in a private place that can be viewed from a public place.

Contents

Such a private place may be a back yard, a barn, balcony or a bedroom with the curtains open. Public sex also includes sexual acts in semi-public places where the general public is free to enter, such as shopping malls. Public sex acts can be performed in a car (colloquially called "parking"), on a beach, in a forest, theatre, bus, aeroplane, street, cubicle, elevator, bathroom, cemetery, and other locations.

According to a large study in 2008, having sex in a public place is a common fantasy and a significant number of couples or individuals have done so. [1] The fantasy is at times depicted in art or film.

Incidence

In ancient Greece, it was recorded that Crates of Thebes, the Cynic philosopher, had sexual intercourse with his wife Hipparchia of Maroneia, another Cynic philosopher, in public. [2] In England, some Ranters engaged in public sex. [3]

In September 2003, the BBC reported on a "dogging" craze fueled by Internet publicity. [4] Dogging is a British English slang term for engaging in public sex, usually in a car park or country park, while others watch. [5] [6] [7] Dogging has aspects of exhibitionism and voyeurism.

There is some evidence on the Internet that "dogging" has begun to spread to other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, the Netherlands, Denmark, [8] Norway, [9] Poland, [10] and Sweden. [11] [12]

Outdoor public sex purportedly takes place often in parks and beaches in Vancouver and San Francisco. [13] According to the New York magazine, public sex occurs frequently in New York City, and is a fantasy common to many people. [14]

Perception

A topless couple kisses in public, Nudes-A-Poppin', USA, 2013 NAP 2013 . Flashing Spectators 13.jpg
A topless couple kisses in public, Nudes-A-Poppin', USA, 2013

Social views related to public sex and sexuality vary greatly between cultures and different times. There are many and varied laws that apply to sex in public, which use a variety of terms such as indecent exposure, public lewdness, gross indecency, and others. In some jurisdictions, an offense is committed only if the participants are seen by others, so that a sex act may occur in a closed toilet cubicle without an offense being committed.

In the United Kingdom, there has been a rise in public sex venues, possibly due to a more relaxed approach to the enforcement of laws relating to public sex since the early 1990s. [15]

Legality

In the United Kingdom, the legal status of public sexual acts was considered as part of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 . Section 71 of the Act makes it an offence to engage in sexual activity in a public lavatory. In the United Kingdom public sex comes under laws related to voyeurism, exhibitionism or public displays of sexual behaviour, but public sex law enforcement remains ambiguous. Prosecution is possible for a number of offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, exposure under section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, or under the common law offence of outraging public decency. The policy of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is that arrests are a last resort and a more gradual approach should be taken in such circumstances. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

Paraphilia is the experience of recurring or intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, fantasies, behaviors, or individuals. It has also been defined as a sexual interest in anything other than a consenting human partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voyeurism</span> Sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors

Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Group sex</span> Sexual behavior involving more than two participants

Group sex is sexual activity involving more than two people. Participants in group sex can be of any sexual orientation or gender. Any form of sexual activity can be adopted to involve more than two participants, but some forms have their own names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upskirt</span> Nonconsensual photographs under a persons skirt

Upskirting or upskirt photography is the practice of taking nonconsensual photographs under a person's skirt or kilt, capturing an image of the crotch area, underwear, and sometimes genitalia. An "upskirt" is a photograph, video, or illustration which incorporates such an image, although the term may also be used to refer to the area of the body inside a skirt, usually from below and while being worn.

Sex and the law deals with the regulation by law of human sexual activity. Sex laws vary from one place or jurisdiction to another, and have varied over time. Unlawful sexual acts are called sex crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indecent exposure</span> Public indecency involving nudity

Indecent exposure is the deliberate public exposure by a person of a portion of their body in a manner contrary to local standards of appropriate behavior. Laws and social attitudes regarding indecent exposure vary significantly in different countries. It ranges from outright prohibition of the exposure of any body parts other than the hands or face to prohibition of exposure of certain body parts, such as the genital area, buttocks or breasts.

Perversion is a form of human behavior which deviates from what is considered to be orthodox or normal. Although the term perversion can refer to a variety of forms of deviation, it is most often used to describe sexual behaviors that are considered particularly abnormal, repulsive or obsessive. Perversion differs from deviant behavior, in that the latter covers areas of behavior for which perversion would be too strong a term. It is often considered derogatory, and, in psychological literature, the term paraphilia has been used as a replacement, though this term is controversial, and deviation is sometimes used in its place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exhibitionism</span> Public exposure of intimate body parts

Exhibitionism is the act of exposing in a public or semi-public context one's intimate parts – for example, the breasts, genitals or buttocks. The practice may arise from a desire or compulsion to expose themselves in such a manner to groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers for their amusement or sexual satisfaction, or to shock the bystander. Exposing oneself only to an intimate partner is normally not regarded as exhibitionism. In law, the act of exhibitionism may be called indecent exposure, "exposing one's person", or other expressions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottaging</span> Gay slang term

Cottaging is a gay slang term, originating from the United Kingdom, referring to anonymous sex between men in a public lavatory, or cruising for sexual partners with the intention of having sex elsewhere. The term has its roots in self-contained English toilet blocks resembling small cottages in their appearance; in the English cant language of Polari this became a double entendre by gay men referring to sexual encounters. See also gay beat in Australian English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dogging (sexual slang)</span> Engaging in sexual acts in a public or semi-public place, or spying on such acts

Dogging is a British English slang term for engaging in sexual acts in a public or semi-public place or watching others doing so. There may be more than two participants; both group sex and gang banging can be included. As observation is encouraged, voyeurism and exhibitionism are closely associated with dogging. The two sets of people involved often meet either randomly or (increasingly) arrange to meet up beforehand over the Internet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay bathhouse</span> Commercial space for male-male sex

A gay bathhouse, also known as a gay sauna or a gay steambath, is a public bath targeted towards gay and bisexual men. In gay slang, a bathhouse may be called just "the baths", "the sauna", or "the tubs". Historically, they have been used for sexual activity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual Offences Act 2003</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Psychosexual disorder is a sexual problem that is psychological, rather than physiological in origin. "Psychosexual disorder" was a term used in Freudian psychology. The term of psychosexual disorder used by the TAF for homosexuality as a reason to ban the LGBT people from military service.

Gay cruising describes the act of searching about a public place in pursuit of a partner for sex. This activity has existed in England and Wales since at least the 17th century and has a colourful legal history. It differs from prostitution in that the parties involved do not seek money for sex, and from gay nightclubs or bathhouses in that they are not on private premises, although they may take place on private land to which the public have been granted access.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in the United Kingdom</span>

The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have developed significantly over time. Today, lesbian, gay, and bisexual rights are considered to be advanced by international standards. However, the country has developed an increasingly negative reputation regarding the status of transgender rights, with anti-trans rhetoric being described as "rife" in the UK media landscape.

Restrictions on sexual activity involving minors in the United Kingdom and its predecessors have existed since medieval times. During the 1970s, there was some political advocacy in favour of significantly reducing the age of consent, supported by various 'youth liberation' organizations and mostly by members of an international British activist group. Meanwhile, over a similar time period, the unequal age of consent for straight and gay young people was campaigned against by the LGBT rights movement. More recently arguments have occasionally been made in favour of reducing the age of consent, generally to an earlier point in adolescence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in the Isle of Man</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the British Crown dependency of the Isle of Man have evolved substantially since the early 2000s. Private and consensual acts of male homosexuality on the island were decriminalised in 1992. LGBT rights have been extended and recognised in law since then, such as an equal age of consent (2006), employment protection from discrimination (2006), gender identity recognition (2009), the right to enter into a civil partnership (2011), the right to adopt children (2011) and the right to enter into a civil marriage (2016).

Troll and trolling are slang terms used almost exclusively among gay men to characterize gay, bisexual and questioning or bi-curious men who cruise or "wander about looking" for sex or potential sex partners or experiences "in a notably wanton manner and with lessened standards of what one will accept in a partner." The term can be used positively or negatively depending on the speaker, usage and intent and can describe the person or the activity. Although often referring to "an unattractive older gay man" and although troll as a slur "is primarily a visual, not a behavioral" judgment, the phrases can be used for anyone who is trolling, regardless of the putative troll's age or perceived attractiveness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodomy law</span> Laws criminalising certain sexual acts

A sodomy law is a law that defines certain sexual acts as crimes. The precise sexual acts meant by the term sodomy are rarely spelled out in the law, but are typically understood by courts to include any sexual act deemed to be "unnatural" or "immoral". Sodomy typically includes anal sex, oral sex, and bestiality. In practice, sodomy laws have rarely been enforced against heterosexual couples, and have mostly been used to target homosexual couples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual offences in the United Kingdom</span>

There are a number of sexual offences under the law of England and Wales, the law of Scotland, and the law of Northern Ireland.

References

  1. Who’s Been Sleeping in Your Head? The Secret World of Sexual Fantasy (2008) by Brett Kahr, ISBN   9780786721917
  2. Sextus Empiricus Outlines of Pyrrhonism Book I section 153
  3. Na, Na (2016). The Battle of the Frogs and Fairford's Flies: Miracles and the Pulp Press During the English Revolution. Palgrave Macmillan US. p. 102. ISBN   978-1-137-10052-8 . Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  4. "'Dogging' craze sex disease risk". BBC. 8 September 2003. Archived from the original on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  5. Jen Johnston (21 September 2003). "Councils voice concern over new sex craze". Sunday Herald . Archived from the original on 22 September 2003. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  6. "Here's the Pub, Church and Field for Public Sex". New York Times . 7 October 2010. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2010. Unhappily for many people here, it is also famous for being featured on lists of good places to go "dogging" — that is, to have sex in public, sometimes with partners you have just met online, so that others can watch. So popular is the woodsy field below the ridge as a spot for gay sex (mostly during the day) and heterosexual sex (mostly at night) that the police have designated it a "public sex environment… Public sex is a popular, and quasi-legal, activity in Britain, according to the authorities and to many Web sites that promote it. It is treated as a crime only if someone witnesses it, is offended and is willing to make a formal complaint. The police tend to tread lightly in public sex environments, in part because of the bitter legacy of the time when gay sex was illegal and closeted men having anonymous sex in places like public bathrooms were routinely arrested and humiliated.
  7. Kahney, Leander (19 March 2004). "Dogging Craze Has Brits in Heat". Wired Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 March 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  8. "Masser af sex på landsdelens rastepladser". tvmidtvest.dk. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21.
  9. Gray, Martin (4 February 2007). "Tenner på risikosex". Aftenposten. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 20 August 2007. Fenomenet "dogging" brer om seg og er i ferd med å få fotfeste i Norge.
  10. "Uprawiają seks w centrum Warszawy". onet.pl. 9 October 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2007. Łazienki, park Szczęśliwicki i Skaryszewski to ulubione miejsca doggersów. Umawiają się przez internet, by na oczach przypadkowych przechodniów uprawiać niezobowiązujący seks.
  11. Abrahamsson, Karin (14 July 2008). "Sommarens heta sextrend". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2010. Träffpunkter och nätverk för dogging finns över hela Sverige.
  12. "The Wellingtonista After Dark: Spot the Dog". wellingtonista.com. 20 July 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2016. (On the topic of dogging) What is it? Who does it? And where oh where does it happen? We'll let people out themselves on the second question but we can definitely help y'all with the third one.
  13. Sides, Josh (2009). Erotic City: Sexual Revolutions and the Making of Modern San Francisco . Oxford University Press US. ISBN   978-0-19-537781-1.
  14. Em & Lo (1 April 2007). "Public Displays of Affection". New York . Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  15. Finlayson, Iain (21 June 1998). "The Human Condition: Johnny be good". The Independent . Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2017. The debate was largely irrelevant in the UK, where at the time there were very few public sex venues. In the Nineties, however, there has been a significant increase in commercial gay venues, particularly in London where there are now at least 15 saunas and 10 bar/clubs that provide facilities for gay sex on their premises.
  16. "Police leniency call on park sex". BBC News. 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2010.

Further reading