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Sexual Health in the Swinging Community
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Some recent discussions peaked my interest to see if there was any academic info or studies done on STI rates and risks in the scene and how they compare up other high risk demographics like Gay men and Sex workers.
Some really interesting things popped up!
The tl;dr version is that if you are a swinger and over 45 you are in the same high risk category as gay men and in some cases higher.
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Warning - Data.
Studies show a good chunk of swingers (25-43%) have reported an STI diagnosis at some point. Between 2011 and 2018, self-reported STI diagnoses among Dutch swingers increased from 23% to 30%. This unfortunately lines up with a noticeable drop in condom use during that same period (e.g., vaginal sex condom use went from 73% down to 59%).
* Increasing age is consistently linked to elevated STI risk within the swinging community.
* For swingers aged 45 and older, about 13.7% were found to have an STI. More than half (55%) of all STI diagnoses in people over 45 in one study were made in swingers, compared to about a third (31%) in gay men of the same age. Older women swingers, in particular, seem to have some of the highest STI rates.
* Research suggests that "being single" is independently associated with increased sexual risk behavior within the swinging community.
* Approximately 10% of swingers (a category that includes both partnered and single individuals) also report having various "loose sex partners," which can further increase exposure.
* Overall, the swinging community's STI risks are often comparable to, or even higher than, those in other well-recognized high-risk groups, such as young heterosexuals and men who have sex with men (MSM).
* A Dutch study found combined Chlamydia and Gonorrhea rates of about 10.4% for swingers, 10.1% for heterosexuals (non-swingers), and 14.2% for MSM. Interestingly, female sex worker in the same study had a lower rate of just under 5%, suggesting that professional safe sex practices and regular testing can be highly effective at reducing STI transmission.
* While STI rates among swingers have been increasing, some other high-risk groups, like MSM, have seen encouraging decreases in certain STIs recently (e.g., P&S Syphilis cases among MSM decreased by 13.4% from 2022 to 2023). This suggests that while both are high-risk, their approaches to prevention might differ.
What are your thoughts on this? Have you seen these trends in your own experiences or communities? What do you think we can do to encourage more open conversations and safer practices within the swinging community?
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"Some recent discussions peaked my interest to see if there was any academic info or studies done on STI rates and risks in the scene and how they compare up other high risk demographics like Gay men and Sex workers.
Some really interesting things popped up!
The tl;dr version is that if you are a swinger and over 45 you are in the same high risk category as gay men and in some cases higher.
*************************
Warning - Data.
Studies show a good chunk of swingers (25-43%) have reported an STI diagnosis at some point. Between 2011 and 2018, self-reported STI diagnoses among Dutch swingers increased from 23% to 30%. This unfortunately lines up with a noticeable drop in condom use during that same period (e.g., vaginal sex condom use went from 73% down to 59%).
* Increasing age is consistently linked to elevated STI risk within the swinging community.
* For swingers aged 45 and older, about 13.7% were found to have an STI. More than half (55%) of all STI diagnoses in people over 45 in one study were made in swingers, compared to about a third (31%) in gay men of the same age. Older women swingers, in particular, seem to have some of the highest STI rates.
* Research suggests that "being single" is independently associated with increased sexual risk behavior within the swinging community.
* Approximately 10% of swingers (a category that includes both partnered and single individuals) also report having various "loose sex partners," which can further increase exposure.
* Overall, the swinging community's STI risks are often comparable to, or even higher than, those in other well-recognized high-risk groups, such as young heterosexuals and men who have sex with men (MSM).
* A Dutch study found combined Chlamydia and Gonorrhea rates of about 10.4% for swingers, 10.1% for heterosexuals (non-swingers), and 14.2% for MSM. Interestingly, female sex worker in the same study had a lower rate of just under 5%, suggesting that professional safe sex practices and regular testing can be highly effective at reducing STI transmission.
* While STI rates among swingers have been increasing, some other high-risk groups, like MSM, have seen encouraging decreases in certain STIs recently (e.g., P&S Syphilis cases among MSM decreased by 13.4% from 2022 to 2023). This suggests that while both are high-risk, their approaches to prevention might differ.
What are your thoughts on this? Have you seen these trends in your own experiences or communities? What do you think we can do to encourage more open conversations and safer practices within the swinging community?
"
Have not seen any trends and not using condoms is just Russian roulette.
If you covet risky behaviours you will eventually, by the law of averages, be caught out to one degree or another.
Have a small trusted group, test regularly, and educate yourself to know the difference between good and bad hygiene signs in people. |
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I haven't read any of that because it's not a subject that interests me.
My only experience both on fab and irl has been with one woman at a time with no overlap and I'm still in single figures so protection and individual testing when meeting someone is as far as my knowledge extends.
However, if I go back 7 or 8 years, I had a conversation with someone I still consider a very close friend to this day in regard to a discussion she had with another fabber.
She advised me that this lady had openly confessed to her at a social that she had a lifetime of issues with stis but couldn't stop having sex and just told the guys she met and let them make the call but in group situations didn't want to spoil the mood by bringing it up.
I trust the source of this information implicitly and even now when I see this woman post on the forums about attending clubs and parties I wonder if she is still doing this? |
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"
Have not seen any trends and not using condoms is just Russian roulette.
If you covet risky behaviours you will eventually, by the law of averages, be caught out to one degree or another.
Have a small trusted group, test regularly, and educate yourself to know the difference between good and bad hygiene signs in people."
It's not all about condoms either. A friend of mine and a number of other people contracted Chlamydia at a party and did not have unprotected sex. It was transferred on men's hands.
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"I’m not gonna read the OP but I’m going to comment anyway…that really sums things up doesn’t it 🤦🏻♀️"
Sums what up? The op asked a question in the last paragraph about experience with the statistics quoted. I have no experience of swinging demographics or trends so the stats mean nothing to me.
That doesn't prevent me from having an opinion on individual choices and people saying one thing on the forums and doing something completely different and when that involves stis it's more than just a matter of an eye roll.
Obviously I could have ignored the thread completely or give a different perspective. I chose the latter. |
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"
She advised me that this lady had openly confessed to her at a social that she had a lifetime of issues with stis but couldn't stop having sex and just told the guys she met and let them make the call but in group situations didn't want to spoil the mood by bringing it up.
"
That's appalling. |
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I'm a strong advocate of getting tested regularly, especially since it's easy and anonymous through sh24.ie
My regular play partners and their own partners have the same policies and we are quite insistent on having a recent test result shown before playing with new play partners. Stay safe everyone!   |
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While younger swingers, like any young adults, might be more susceptible to STIs due to factors like less experience and potentially higher-risk behaviors, overall, age doesn't seem to be a significant factor in STI rates among swingers. Studies suggest that other factors like the number of partners, frequency of testing, and risk-taking tendencies are more likely to influence STI transmission within the swinging community.
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Interesting read.
I enjoy this type of information but always wonder. This is gathered information from sources, how much information goes ungathered and what are the real numbers. I find that some people in the lifestyle are actually more concerned and conscious than the ones that breeze in and out, and its these 'silent' undocumented players that awry the statistics.
As they say "safe sex is in the palm of your hand". |
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"Interesting read.
I enjoy this type of information but always wonder. This is gathered information from sources, how much information goes ungathered and what are the real numbers. I find that some people in the lifestyle are actually more concerned and conscious than the ones that breeze in and out, and its these 'silent' undocumented players that awry the statistics.
As they say "safe sex is in the palm of your hand". "
Stats are always gonna be biased in some way.
For example there's no stats for men who have sex with men AND swing. Which had to be pointed out to me.
It's an old study too but interesting for what it is
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Most commonly notified STIs in 2024 were chlamydia (n=11,534) and gonorrhoea (n=5,961)
HSE Home Testing accounted for 48% of chlamydia and 29% of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024
Young people (aged 15 to 24 years), and gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain the groups most affected by STIs
Information relative to Ireland as published by the HSE, June 2025. |
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"Most commonly notified STIs in 2024 were chlamydia (n=11,534) and gonorrhoea (n=5,961)
HSE Home Testing accounted for 48% of chlamydia and 29% of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024
Young people (aged 15 to 24 years), and gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain the groups most affected by STIs
Information relative to Ireland as published by the HSE, June 2025."
Stats are easily skewed. Are young people the most likely to get STIs because of their choices or is it because they are more likely to get tested? I always take stats with a pinch of salt in that regard. I'd argue today's schools do a good job educating about protection and porn destroys that education with "creampies" |
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"Most commonly notified STIs in 2024 were chlamydia (n=11,534) and gonorrhoea (n=5,961)
HSE Home Testing accounted for 48% of chlamydia and 29% of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024
Young people (aged 15 to 24 years), and gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain the groups most affected by STIs
Information relative to Ireland as published by the HSE, June 2025.
Stats are easily skewed. Are young people the most likely to get STIs because of their choices or is it because they are more likely to get tested? I always take stats with a pinch of salt in that regard. I'd argue today's schools do a good job educating about protection and porn destroys that education with "creampies""
Context is everything. Younger people are more likely to get tested and have received the most up to date sex education but are also most likely to engage in risky behavior.
Older people have received the worst sex education and are also having sex later into life so sti's are showing an increase in infections as education and testing catches up.
There's no real information available in Ireland or the UK about risk factors or reporting for ENM/Swing communities because our governments don't record those statistics.
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"Most commonly notified STIs in 2024 were chlamydia (n=11,534) and gonorrhoea (n=5,961)
HSE Home Testing accounted for 48% of chlamydia and 29% of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024
Young people (aged 15 to 24 years), and gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain the groups most affected by STIs
Information relative to Ireland as published by the HSE, June 2025.
Stats are easily skewed. Are young people the most likely to get STIs because of their choices or is it because they are more likely to get tested? I always take stats with a pinch of salt in that regard. I'd argue today's schools do a good job educating about protection and porn destroys that education with "creampies""
.....
STIs are notifiable diseases in Ireland, meaning they must be reported to public health authorities. Specifically, medical practitioners and clinical directors of diagnostic laboratories are legally obligated to report certain STIs. This ensures that the figures quoted by the HSE are factual rather than the results of some random study with likely question bias and a relatively small sample size.
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"Interestingly there is a well documented correlation between the use of erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra and Cialis and a rise in STIs among elderly men.
Define 'elderly'.."
You know like people who are really really old. Like 55 |
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"Interestingly there is a well documented correlation between the use of erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra and Cialis and a rise in STIs among elderly men.
Define 'elderly'..
You know like people who are really really old. Like 55"
Decrepit almost... |
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 |
By *og-ManMan 6 weeks ago
somewhere |
"Interestingly there is a well documented correlation between the use of erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra and Cialis and a rise in STIs among elderly men.
Define 'elderly'..
You know like people who are really really old. Like 55
Decrepit almost..."
👴👴👴👴👴♿️♿️ |
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"Most commonly notified STIs in 2024 were chlamydia (n=11,534) and gonorrhoea (n=5,961)
HSE Home Testing accounted for 48% of chlamydia and 29% of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024
Young people (aged 15 to 24 years), and gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain the groups most affected by STIs
Information relative to Ireland as published by the HSE, June 2025.
Stats are easily skewed. Are young people the most likely to get STIs because of their choices or is it because they are more likely to get tested? I always take stats with a pinch of salt in that regard. I'd argue today's schools do a good job educating about protection and porn destroys that education with "creampies"
.....
STIs are notifiable diseases in Ireland, meaning they must be reported to public health authorities. Specifically, medical practitioners and clinical directors of diagnostic laboratories are legally obligated to report certain STIs. This ensures that the figures quoted by the HSE are factual rather than the results of some random study with likely question bias and a relatively small sample size.
"
If people aren't getting tested, they aren't being reported. The figures quoted are accurate but the context behind them isn't there. You and I can both construed the stats to our bias. |
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Looking at it from where I stand 55 is just late middle age.
(Now 70 may be considered elderly but I have also seen it described as the "new 50").
Age is something to be treasured and celebrated.... thats why there are birthday cards/cakes/pressies.
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"Most commonly notified STIs in 2024 were chlamydia (n=11,534) and gonorrhoea (n=5,961)
HSE Home Testing accounted for 48% of chlamydia and 29% of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024
Young people (aged 15 to 24 years), and gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) remain the groups most affected by STIs
Information relative to Ireland as published by the HSE, June 2025."
It's good practice to be aware of sexual health trends and always look after your health.
The HSE, NHS, CDC and multiple other other government sources publish statistics on which groups are most at risk, men who have sex with other men have significantly higher rates of STDs than say the general population. Compiling such statistics enables them to target and educate those most at risk groups.
https://www.humanrights.dk/lgbt-barometer/sexual-health#:~:text=Sexually%20transmitted%20diseases%20are%20overrepresented,with%20a%20sexually%20transmitted%20disease.
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/sexuallytransmittedinfections/publications/stireports/2023reports/Sexually%20Transmitted%20Diseases%20(STIs)%20in%20Ireland%202023_Final_v1.0.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-sti-figures-show-continued-increases-among-gay-men
Education is prob the best way to decrease the rise in sexualy transmitted diseases. |
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""Gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis cases soar in retirement villages - calls for sex-ed for over-50s""
Maybe the folks counting down the days in a nursing home have just decided to throw caution to the wind as they see out their remaining days. |
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Seriously though that is some sobering reading 