Research
BDSM statistics: what the research says
BDSM is more common than many people assume. Here is what published studies from Belgium, Australia and Quebec found about how many adults are interested, who they are and when they first notice the interest, with a link to every study.
In short
- Surveys of adults in Belgium and Quebec found that close to half had some interest in BDSM or related practices, and many had tried at least one.
- Fantasy, interest and regular practice are different measures, which is why the figures vary so much between studies.
- In a study that rated 55 sexual fantasies, only two were classed as rare, which suggests that what feels unusual is often common.
- The studies date from 2008 to 2017 and rely on people describing themselves, so they are best read as a friendly guide rather than the final word.
How common is BDSM?
There is no single answer, because studies ask different questions. Some ask what people have fantasized about, some ask what they have ever tried and some ask what they do regularly. In the same group of people those three numbers can differ a great deal, so each figure below comes with the question that produced it.
In a Belgian survey of 1,027 adults chosen to represent the population, 46.8 percent had done at least one BDSM-related activity at some point, and another 22 percent had fantasies about it. A smaller share, 12.5 percent, did at least one such activity regularly. Asked about identity, 26 percent said they were interested in BDSM and 7.6 percent called themselves BDSM practitioners.
A survey of 1,040 adults in Quebec, built to match the province’s population, found that nearly half were interested in at least one less conventional sexual practice and about a third had tried one at least once. Fetishism and masochism were among the interests that turned up in both men and women at levels the researchers did not consider rare.
A national telephone survey in Australia asked a narrower question: who had taken part in BDSM in the past year. Among 19,307 people aged 16 to 59, 1.8 percent of those who were sexually active had, which was 2.2 percent of men and 1.3 percent of women. A past-year figure is naturally much smaller than an ever-tried figure, and that gap explains most of the difference with the Belgian result.
The studies at a glance
| Study | Who was asked | Main finding |
|---|---|---|
| Holvoet and colleagues, 2017 | 1,027 adults, representative of Belgium | 46.8% had ever done a BDSM-related activity and 12.5% did one regularly. |
| Joyal and Carpentier, 2017 | 1,040 adults in Quebec | Nearly half were interested in at least one less conventional practice, and about a third had tried one. |
| Richters and colleagues, 2008 | 19,307 people aged 16 to 59 in Australia | 1.8% of sexually active people had taken part in BDSM in the past year. |
| Joyal, Cossette and Lapierre, 2015 | 1,516 adults rating 55 sexual fantasies | Submission and domination themes were common for both men and women. |
Who is interested?
Surveys point to some patterns, though none of them is a rule. In the Belgian study, interest in BDSM and fetishes was higher among men than among women, and the Australian survey leaned the same way. In Quebec, interest in fetishism and masochism did not differ significantly between men and women. The Australian survey also found BDSM was more common among gay, lesbian and bisexual respondents.
Interest in dominant and in submissive activities was similar in Belgium, and the two were closely linked: people drawn to one were often drawn to the other. The oldest group in that study, aged 48 to 65, scored lower on BDSM measures than younger adults.
When do people notice it?
Among Belgian respondents with a BDSM interest, 61.4 percent said they had become aware of it before the age of 25. Noticing an interest early says nothing about acting on it, and plenty of people explore much later. For most of them, then, it is a long-standing interest and not a recent one.
How common are different interests?
One of the Canadian-led studies approached the question from the other side. It asked 1,516 adults to rate 55 sexual fantasies and then classed each one by how common it was. Only two fantasies came out as rare for women or for men, nine as unusual, thirty as common for one or both genders and five as typical. Submission and domination themes were among the common ones for both men and women, and people who liked one often liked the other.
The Belgian survey shows how wide the range is. It asked about 54 different BDSM-related activities and 14 fetishes, so two people who both say they are into BDSM can have very different tastes. That is why most communities, and most guides on this site, begin by asking what you are interested in before they talk about what you should try.
How to read the numbers
A few things help you read these figures well. Answers are self-reported, and some surveys ran online, where people who are curious about the subject may be more likely to take part, as the Belgian authors note. The results show patterns and not causes. The studies also define BDSM in different ways, so the numbers are best read as a range and not added together, and they date from 2008 to 2017.
For Canada, the adult data we found comes from Quebec, which gives a good first look, and a nationwide Canadian study would be a welcome addition. This page summarizes published research for general interest and is general information only.
If you are curious
The research suggests that being curious about BDSM is common, and that you are in good company. If you want to learn more, our beginner’s guide to BDSM covers the basics, the guide to bondage and the guide to dominant and submissive roles go deeper, and the guide to BDSM clubs in Canada explains how to meet people in person. On Maple BDSM you can build a free profile and talk to other adults in Canada at your own pace.
Sources
- Holvoet L, Huys W, Coppens V, Seeuws J, Goethals K, Morrens M. Fifty Shades of Belgian Gray: The Prevalence of BDSM-Related Fantasies and Activities in the General Population. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2017.
- Joyal CC, Carpentier J. The Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors in the General Population: A Provincial Survey. The Journal of Sex Research, 2017.
- Joyal CC, Cossette A, Lapierre V. What exactly is an unusual sexual fantasy? The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2015.
- Richters J, de Visser RO, Rissel CE, Grulich AE, Smith AMA. Demographic and psychosocial features of participants in bondage and discipline, sadomasochism or dominance and submission (BDSM): data from a national survey. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2008.
Maple BDSM has no connection with the authors or the journals named here.
Questions about BDSM and research
How common is BDSM?
It depends on the question. In a Belgian survey, 46.8 percent of adults had done at least one BDSM-related activity at some point, while an Australian survey found 1.8 percent of sexually active people had taken part in the past year.
Do men and women differ in their interest?
Results are mixed. Belgian and Australian surveys found more men than women interested or taking part, while the Quebec survey found no significant gender difference in interest in fetishism and masochism.
Do people tend to like one role or both?
In the Belgian survey, interest in dominant and in submissive activities was similar and closely linked, so people drawn to one were often drawn to the other. The fantasy study found the same link.
How wide is the range of BDSM interests?
Very wide. The Belgian survey asked about 54 BDSM-related activities and 14 fetishes, and respondents differed a great deal in which ones they had tried or wanted to try.
At what age do people first notice an interest?
In the Belgian survey, 61.4 percent of people with a BDSM interest said they became aware of it before they were 25.