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Sexuality
Anal Sex Statistics
Data on the Prevalence of Heterosexual Anal Sex
By Cory Silverberg, About.com Guide
Updated February 09, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
The subject of heterosexual anal sex 1 has attracted relatively little attention when compared the voluminous research and sex statistics that have been compiled regarding anal sex between men. Slowly, this gaping hole in the research is being rectified. While we're far from having a complete picture, recent surveys have included questions about heterosexual anal sex.
When reading sex statistics, remember that all sex survey research comes with problems that make generalizing difficult. The bottom line is that one can never know how truthful participants are being and what impact the survey itself has on the end results. Nonetheless, survey research can be helpful to give a very general picture of sexual behavior. Some notable findings:

  • Kinsey data collected between 1938-1963 found that 9 percent of non-married males and 28 percent of non-married females had engaged in anal sex at least once. Among married subjects, the numbers were much lower--around 11 percent for both men and women.
  • In 1974, Playboy magazine published a huge survey of over 2000 people. Depending on the age of the respondent, between 14 and 25 percent of people said they had tried anal sex at least once.
  • A more recent study, conducted in 1990 at the Kinsey Institute, found that 27 percent of male and 24 percent of female college students had anal sex at least once.
  • One researcher, who surveyed one group of people in the 1970s then another in the late 1980s, offers a good point of comparison. In the first survey, 25 percent of women had anal sex and 8 percent reported engaging in it regularly. In the second, 72 percent had anal sex, and 23 percent reported engaging in it regularly.
  • A 1991 survey of 3200 men (in a nationally representative sample) found that 20 percent of men age 20 to 39 had engaged in anal sex at least once. Fifty percent of the men who had tried it had only tried it once. Interestingly, in this more contemporary study, more older men reported having had anal sex than younger men (27 percent of men age 35 to 39 versus 13 percent of men age 20 to 24).
  • The most recent U.S. data from a national representative sample comes from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), which was conducted on over 12,000 men and women aged 15 to 44. Results show that 34 percent of men and 30 percent of women reported engaging in anal sex at least once.
  • In a 1996 survey of Swedish women aged 18 to 74, about 20 percent of women overall reported having engaged in anal sex--specifically, 28 percent of 25 to 34 year-olds and 2 percent of 66 to 74 year-olds.
Sources:
  • Billy, J.O., Grady, W.R., Klepinger, D.H. "The Sexual Behavior of Men in the United States" Family Planning Perspectives Vol. 25. Issue 2 (1993): 52 -60.
  • Bolling, D.R. “Prevalence, Goals and Complications of Heterosexual Anal Intercourse in a Gynecologic Population. Journal of Reproductive Medicine Volume 19 (1977): 120-124.
  • Bolling, D. “Heterosexual Anal Intercourse: A Common Entity, Perceived Rarity, Neglected Patients and Ostrich Syndrome.” Paper presented at the 1987 Kinsey Institute Conference, AIDS and sex: An integrated biomedical and biobehavioral approach, Bloomington, IN, December 5-8, 1987.
  • Fugl-Meyer, K.S., Oberg, K., Lundberg,P.O., et al. "On Orgasm, Sexual Techniques, and Erotic Perceptions in 18- to 74-Year-Old Swedish Women" Journal of Sexual Medicine Volume 3, No. 1, (2006):56-68.
  • Gebhard, P.H. & Johnson, A.B. The Kinsey Data: Marginal Tabulations of the1938-1963 Interviews Conducted by the Institute for Sex Research Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders,1979.
  • Hunt, M. Sexual Behavior in the 1970s. Chicago: Playboy Press, 1974.
  • Mosher,W.D., Chandra, A. & Jones J. “Sexual Behavior and Selected Health Measures: Men and Women 15–44 Years of Age, United States, 2002.” Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics; no 362. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics (2005):
  • Voeller, B. “AIDS and Heterosexual Anal Intercourse.” Archives of Sexual Behavior Volume 20. Issue 3 (1991): 233-276.
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  • How To Have Anal Sex
  • Whether or not people are actually having more anal sex1, there is little doubt that people are talking more about anal sex than any time in recent history. The rise in public discussion of anal sex has pros and cons. On the plus side, more people are talking about anal sex and hopefully learning how to have it safely and pleasurably (if they want it). On the negative side, the increased talk may increase the pressure some feel to try anal sex. Anal sex is not a required part of healthy sexual expression, but if you are interested in trying anal sex, you’ll find the basics below.
  • Time Required: Anal sex requires time, a slow build up, and a sustained period of arousal.
  • Here's How:
  • What’s My Motivation?
    The only reason to want to have anal sex is because you want to have anal sex. If you’re feeling pressure from a partner or based on some idea of what a hot and healthy sex life should be, forget it. Anal sex can be perfectly safe and highly pleasurable, but if you’re the one being penetrated and you aren’t turned on and completely into it, it could turn out to be neither. There may be lots of reasons why you want to do it, just make sure you know at least a few of them and they don’t all have to do with someone else.
  • Anal Play vs Anal Sex?
    Usually when people think of anal sex they think of penetration. This is but one part of anal play. If you’re not interested in penetration, it doesn’t mean you have to ignore the entire part of your body. This whole area has been largely ignored for its sexual potential. The bum, the anus, and the rectum are all sites of enormous potential pleasure. They respond to feelings of touch, pressure, movement, and can be incredibly pleasurable. Here we’re talking about anal penetration, but there’s much more to explore without going inside.
  • Do Some Homework
    There are some great     books about anal sex2 and several educational anal sex videos3, plus most sex manuals4 include a chapter about anal sex. Learn the basic parts of your anal anatomy including the sphincter muscles, the anal canal, the (male) prostate gland. There’s nothing like a hands on education, but checking out the road map first might help you orient yourself a little easier.
  • Practice When You’re Alone
    Before you have anal sex with someone else, try it on your own. Even if you aren’t ever planning on being penetrated by your partner, knowing what it feels like, and getting a hands on education with your own anal anatomy will go a long way when you start doing things to someone else’s body.     Anal masturbation5 can offer a fabulous education on how our bodies respond to anal stimulation. If your own anus is in reach, check it out first.
  • Talk With Your Partner
    There are lots of ways to surprise your partner in bed that they’ll love. But “surprising them” by trying to have anal sex without talking about it first isn’t one of them. Anal sex requires the receptive partner to be very relaxed, feel safe and comfortable, and trust you to not make any sudden moves that will hurt them. This means that anal sex requires     good sexual communication6. If you’re not comfortable telling your partner you want to try anal sex, you may not be ready to have anal sex with that partner.
  • Anal Sex Safety
    Everyone involved should know the basics of     anal sex safety7 and how having dangerous anal sex8 can hurt your body. Always use condoms and gloves for anal sex, and have plenty of personal lubricant9 on hand to replenish during the sex play. If your anal sex involves sex toys, understand what makes a sex toy safe for anal use10. Taking the previous steps will not only make anal sex more pleasurable, it’ll go a long way to keeping everyone safe psychologically and emotionally, and making anal sex more pleasurable.
  • Work From the Outside In
    Start by exploring your partner’s entire backside with your hands and fingers. Massage their bum cheeks and once you’ve got your gloves and lube you can start gently touching and massaging the anal opening. Don’t rush to penetration, and don’t stampede to the anus. Instead pay attention to how their body is responding to different kinds of touch. Try a circular massaging motion with your fingers or gently knead the skin and muscle underneath. Take note of where they like to be touched, and where they can handle more vigorous stimulation versus a softer touch.
  • Pushing Not Poking
    Never force a penis or dildo into the anus. Using what you learned during your solo anal exploration press the tip gently against the anal opening and wait for your partner to relax and let you in. Keep stimulating your partner at the same time with your hands or with a sex toy. If you’re having anal sex with a woman, providing clitoral stimulation is a good idea. Pay attention to how you’re partner is moving and move with, not against, them. Once your partner’s sphincter muscles relax you’ll feel yourself being drawn in. Let yourself slide in only as much as your partner’s body allows.
  • Just Be There
    Once you’ve penetrated your partner for the first time, don’t immediately begin thrusting or even moving very much at all. Just take a moment to feel what it’s like and to let your partner get comfortable with some penetration. Don’t forget to keep other kinds of stimulation going (talking, using your hands, using sex toys). If you’re partner is moving their body you can gently move with them. Unless they know how deep they want it, don’t try to penetrate them deeper until your both turned on even more.
  • How to Move
    Once you’re both comfortable begin to experiment with different movements. Start moving slowly inside of them trying both in/out and side-to-side movements. Pay attention to how their body is responding to your movements (also, you can ask). When you find something that works for both of you begin to ramp up the intensity slowly. Anal penetration is not like vaginal penetration and it has to build up slower and may never be as vigorous. If your partner is unsure you can ask them to do the moving and at first keep your body still. You can also suggest they be on top.
  • Anal Sex Positions
    Anal sex is a much slower kind of penetration play and requires a longer period of intense arousal. Changing positions can mean a break in arousal that gets in the way. But for some people changing an anal sex position can really bump up the heat, or provide more physical comfort and greater range of motion. There isn’t one perfect anal sex position. If you enjoy anal sex the best thing to do is experiment until you find one, or a few, that work for you. Here are some examples of     popular anal sex positions11.
  • Check In Often
    Be sure to check in with your partner often during anal sex. You can do this verbally (is that good? Do you like that? Do you want more, less, different? etc…) and you can ask your partner to give you feedback without you asking (more, slow it down, let’s try this, etc…) You can also get a lot of information from what’s happening non-verbally with their body. Are they tensing up? Are they moving more? Is their breathing becoming heavier, deeper, shallower? Are they getting wetter? All of this information can help you get into a rhythm with them and speed up, slow down, or keep going.
  • Sex Toys
    Anal sex toys12 can be a great way to explore anal sex. It’s usually a good idea to let the partner being penetrated play with the toy on their own first so that they can help their partner know what they like and how to use the toy. If you’re having anal intercourse involving a penis an anal sex toy may be less useful. But using a vibrator13 to add stimulation for the partner being penetrated an/or the partner doing the penetration is a great idea. Because anal sex requires a slower build up and sustained sexual arousal hands can get tired, and a vibrator never does (although motor can burn out).
  • Cleaning Up
    Even if you don’t see it, fecal matter and bacteria can and will be spread if you touch anything after touching the outside or inside of your anus. You should never move from anal play to vaginal play without washing carefully first. Bacteria that live happily in the anus are not happy in the vagina, and can cause serious infection. Below are some tips on cleaning up after anal sex.
  • Tips:
  • Taking Off the Gloves
    Avoid touching the outside of the glove you used to touch yourself. To remove your gloves, put a clean finger under the cuff of the glove and pull it down and right off your hand at once, so that the glove turns completely inside out. This way you won’t come in contact with any part of the outside surface of the glove. If both hands are gloved, wash your hands carefully after removing your gloves.
  • Cleaning Sex Toys and Lube Bottles
    If you touched your bottle of lubricant with a glove that had been inside you, wash the outside of the bottle carefully as well. Try to avoid touching the cap with the same hand you are using to touch yourself as the cap is often a harder part of the bottle to get clean. The easiest way to keep anal sex toys clean is to put a new condom on the toy each time. If you have silicone anal toys, you can boil them in water for 2 to 5 minutes. Remember to wash your hands after cleaning toys and lube bottles.
  • Links in this article:
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BDSM is a type of role-play or lifestyle choice between two or more individuals who use their experiences of pain and power to create sexual tension, pleasure, and release. The compound acronym, BDSM, is derived from the terms bondage and discipline (B&D, B/D, or BD), dominance and submission (D&s, D/s, or Ds), sadism and masochism (S&M, S/M, or SM).
BDSM includes a wide spectrum of activities, forms of interpersonal relationships, and distinct subcultures.
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong, for example, if a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counterculture.
Activities and relationships within a BDSM context are characterized by the fact that the participants usually take on complementary, but unequal, roles, thus the idea of Consent of both the partners becomes essential in any activity. Typically, participants who are active – applying the activity or exercising control over others – are known as tops or dominants.
In BDSM, a top or dominant is the partner in a BDSM relationship or in a BDSM scene who takes the active or controlling role over that of the bottom or submissive partner(s).
A person who submits control of a large percentage of his or her day-to-day life to a dominant partner, or who submits within a formal set of rules and rituals, is the slave, and the person who assumes power over the slave is the master or mistress.
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Those participants who are recipients of the activities, or who are controlled by their partners, are typically known as “bottoms” or “submissives”.
A bottom can, for example, be subject to acts such as flogging, servitude or humiliation and can be physically restrained by bondage, which can itself be painful. A person who submits control of a large percentage of their day-to-day life to a dominant partner, or who submits within a formal set of rules and rituals is sometimes referred to as a slave to that of the master or mistress.
The term bottom originates from a more general use of the word, especially among the gay male community, to mean receptive partner
Individuals who move between top/dominant roles and bottom/submissive roles – either periodically within a relationship, or from relationship to relationship – are known as switches.
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Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity. When a person is sexually aroused by bondage, it may be considered a paraphilia, known as vincilagnia (from Latin vincio, to bind or fetter with chains, and lagneia, lust).
Dominance and submission (also called D&s, Ds, and D/s) is a set of behaviors, customs and rituals involving the giving by one individual to another individual of dominance over them in an erotic episode or as a lifestyle.
Physical contact is not a necessity, and it can even be conducted anonymously over the telephone, email or other messaging system. In other cases, it can be intensely physical, sometimes traversing into sadomasochism. In D/s, both parties take pleasure or erotic enjoyment from either dominating or being dominated. Those who take the superior position are called dominants, doms (male) or dommes (female), while those who take the subordinate position are called submissives or subs (male or female). A switch is an individual who plays in either role. Two switches together may negotiate and exchange roles several times in a session. "Dominatrix" is a term usually reserved for a female professional dominant that dominates others for pay.
Sadism is pleasure in infliction of pain or humiliation upon another person, while masochism is pleasure in receiving the pain.These practices are often related and are collectively known as sadomasochism as well as S&M or S/M. These terms may be used clinically, in psychotherapy, to describe mental illnesses, psychopathology or counterproductive coping mechanisms. Additionally, these terms may describe consensual practices—often sexual, but not necessarily so—within the BDSM community.

Further reading