B.C. sexual health researchers are hoping to shine the spotlight on the sexual health and well-being of Canadians who take part in group sex through an online survey.  

Although almost 10 per cent of Americans report having experienced group sex at some point in their lives, researchers claim that little is known about the prevalence of group sex in Canada. 

aims to collect 750 responses in the hopes of gathering information that will benefit people who engage in these common but stigmatized sexual behaviours. 

The launch of the first-ever national group sex survey was announced on Feb. 13, ahead of Valentine鈥檚 Day. 

鈥淰alentine鈥檚 Day is for everyone and all forms of love, intimacy and connection and we see this as a great opportunity to draw attention to this under-served group,鈥� says Aki Gormezano, a postdoctoral research fellow at University of Victoria's School of Public Health and Social Policy.

The survey will collect information about group sex participants' emotional, physical and psychological well-being. It will also document common harm reduction practices in group sex, including sexual consent, substance use and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

According to Gormezano, early data indicates that a large number of people do not tell medical professionals that they engage in group sex.

Researchers are working in partnership with a community advisory board of people with experience attending and/or hosting group sex events in southwestern British Columbia. Through this, they鈥檙e hoping to develop resources, to ensure health-care providers are better prepared to serve this population. 

The research team has already published two papers in The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality and presented their findings at several conferences. 

Gormezano says preliminary project findings indicate that people are motivated to participate in group sex for a variety of reasons. 

鈥淭here鈥檚 this stereotype of group sex as hedonistic, unscrupulous pursuit of sex. For many people, group sex comes with a strong sense of community and belonging and feelings of closeness and friendship with other people they鈥檙e participating in group sex with.鈥� 

Residents of Canada who are 18 years or older and have engaged in group sex at least once in the previous five years are eligible to take the survey. 

The Group Sex Project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.