Australian women embrace technology into their sex lives

By Judy Skatssoon

June 29, 2008 12:58pm

AUSTRALIAN women have welcomed technology into their sex lives, according to a survey that questioned nearly 2,000 women from around the country.

The survey found one in five women have had a sexual encounter in an internet chatroom, more than half have sent or received a sexual text message and one in five have starred in their own sex tape.

"As a society, we increasingly rely on technology to get the job done, whatever the job is,'' writes Joan Sauers in her new book, Sex Lives of Australian Women.

"Have Australian women joined the cyber-sexual revolution?''

The answer, apparently, is yes.

Sauers used an online survey to question women about their sex lives during a three-month period last year and the results are published in her book.

According to the results, the most avid participants in chat room sex are women in their 20s (26 per cent) followed by those in their 50s (21 per cent).

Some women reported finding net sex "liberating'', "exciting'', "guilt-free'', empowering and safe - no chance of STDS or pregnancy.

Others described the experience as "empty'', "unfulfilling'', "demeaning'', "tacky'' and "pretty lame''.

However, women who had good experiences with chat room sex outnumbered those who had bad experiences two to one, Sauers reports.

For others, the problems were practical ones.

"It did get me aroused but I can't come & type!'' quipped a 22-year-old student and barmaid from Western Australia. "I had to pretend I'd come so I could get outta there!''

The webcam also forms a part of online sexual activity for some women, who use it either with their partner or with strangers.

"I do a little strip tease and masturbate in front of the camera (while) he masturbates,'' writes a 27-year-old Queensland sales assistant and mother.

Young women are the most likely to engage in text sex using their mobile phones, the survey shows. Seventy per cent of women in their twenties had engaged in sexual SMS exchanges, followed by 44 per cent of those in their forties and 34 per cent of women in their fifties.

Meanwhile, 22 per cent of women in their twenties and 20 per cent of women in their thirties had been filmed or taped having sex.

Some enjoyed the experience but slightly more were less than thrilled when seeing the results in the cold, hard light of day.

Many said they didn't like seeing themselves on film because they looked "fat''.

"It was fine, but to tell you the truth ... watching it again was hilarious ... not erotic ... my arse was NOT ever meant to be on a tape,'' responded a 33-year-old mother from WA.

But a 34-year-old designer and artist from Victoria highlighted another problem: "At the time OK - exciting, defiant, liberating ... Absolutely horrified after the event - especially after we broke up''.

Sex Lives of Australian Women also reveals intimate details about masturbation, sexual fantasies, same-sex sex, pornography, affairs, as well as posing the question: "Are men necessary?''

Respondents were almost evenly divided between yes and no, Sauers writes.

"It was also interesting to note that proportionately, lesbians tended to find men necessary more often than straight women,'' she reports.

"A lot of women feel that men aren't exactly necessary, but they're nice to have around."