Oral Sex: Varied Behaviors and Perceptions in a College Population

Abstract

Views and behaviors pertaining to oral sex have changed in recent years. This anonymous, online survey posed both old and new questions pertaining to oral sex among a college population. This study not only confirmed previous findings about virgins engaging in oral sex but also found that women reported giving oral sex more often than receiving it from men. Oral sex was not only perceived as less intimate than intercourse but also more likely to be perceived as less intimate by women than men. Participants most frequently endorsed a committed relationship, but not a married relationship, for comfort in engaging in oral sex. Last, college students were more knowledgeable of the sexually transmitted infection risks of oral sex than how to actually protect themselves during oral sex. Additional analyses by gender and virginity were also performed to further understanding of the nuances amongst virgins and women and men.