Sexual Interaction in Digital Contexts and Its Implications for Sexual Health: A Conceptual Analysis

Abstract

Based on its prevalence, there is an urgent need to better understand the mechanisms, opportunities and risks of sexual interaction in digital contexts (SIDC) that are related with sexual arousal. While there is a growing body of literature on SIDC, there is also a lack of conceptual clarity and classification. Therefore, based on a conceptual analysis, we propose to distinguish between sexual interaction (1) through, (2) via, and (3) with digital technologies. (1) Sexual interactions through digital technologies are face-to-face sexual interactions that (a) have been started digitally (e.g., people initiating face-to-face sexual encounters through adult dating apps) or (b) are accompanied by digital technology (e.g., couples augmenting their face-to-face sexual encounters through filming themselves during the act and publishing the amateur pornography online). (2) Sexual interactions via digital technology are technology-mediated interpersonal sexual interactions (e.g., via text chat: cybersex; via smartphone: sexting; via webcam: webcam sex/camming). (3) Sexual interactions with digital technology occur when the technology itself has the role of an interaction partner (e.g., sexual interaction with a sex robot or with a media persona in pornography). The three types of SIDC and their respective subtypes are explained and backed up with empirical studies that are grouped according to two major mediators: consent and commerce. Regarding the causes and consequences of the three types of SIDC we suggest a classification that entails biological, psychological, social, economic, and technological factors. Regarding implications of SIDC we suggest to focus on both opportunities and risks for sexual health. The proposed conceptual framework of SIDC is meant to inform future research.

Victim Blaming bei nicht-konsensueller Weitergabe intimer Bilder: Ergebnisse einer Befragung von Schüler*innen und Lehrer*innen

“…B. Döring et al 2021 ; Naezer und van Oosterhout 2021 ) dokumentiert sich, dass beide Gruppen Victim Blaming praktizieren, indem sie die Verantwortung für sexuelle Grenzverletzungen mittels digitaler Medien bei den betroffenen Bildproduzentinnen verorten. Dies kann implizit durch eine vermeintlich verstehende Haltung geschehen, die nach Gründen für die Handlungen der Bildproduzent*innen sucht und diese in der vermeintlichen Abhängigkeit der Person, die Sexting betreibt, von anderen findet.…”

“…Neuere Begriffe wie „bildbasierte sexuelle Gewalt“ (engl. image-based abuse ) weisen auf ein breiteres Verständnis des Problems und die Tatsache hin, dass das Veröffentlichen der Bilder über die Rache von Ex-Partnern hinaus auch heimlich produzierte Bildaufnahmen (wie das sogenannte Upskirting , Downblousing ) sowie Material umfasst, das gehackt oder auf andere Weise gestohlen wurde, bevor es über Soziale Medien geteilt wurde ( Döring et al 2021 ; Stokes 2014 ). Als eine weitere Form bildbasierter sexueller Gewalt gilt Sextortion , was die Drohung beschreibt, ein sexuelles Bild zu veröffentlichen, um die Abgebildeten zu erpressen ( Wolak et al 2018 ).…”

Virtual Reality Pornography: a Review of Health-Related Opportunities and Challenges

“…A further affordance of VR technology not covered in previous research is the use of teledildonics. Teledildonics allow for a sexual experience with other people at a distance by creating an interface between the two (or more) people that stimulates sexual pleasure either synchronously or for one party [33]. The concept of teledildonics first emerged in the 1990s but has become more prevalent with the emergence of VR as a consumer medium [34,35].…”

“…The concept of teledildonics first emerged in the 1990s but has become more prevalent with the emergence of VR as a consumer medium [34,35]. Research has indicated that technologically mediated sexual interactions have the potential to improve sexual wellbeing in some populations [33,36] Teledildonic devices, such as remotely controlled dildos, provide tactile sensations that simulate part of a subject's body on the behest of another person while connected digitally, enabling a subject to interact with a second subject as if they were in the same place at the same time. This can create a feeling of 'being there' through sensory biofeedback as well and auditory and visual immersion [1,35].…”

Flirting With or Through Media: How the Communication Partners’ Ontological Class and Sexual Priming Affect Heterosexual Males’ Interest in Flirtatious Messages and Their Perception of the Source

“…As already addressed, technologies can play a role in mediating erotic communication, but also serve as interaction partners themselves. Consistent with Döring et al (2021) , technologies can be incorporated into sexualized interactions in three different ways; first, they can enable sexualized interactions by connecting people (e.g., online dating platforms). Second, technologies can mediate sexualized interactions (e.g., webcam sex), and finally, people can have a sexualized interaction with the technology itself (e.g., with sexualized chatbots or robots).…”