Inside the ordering room: characteristics of women's in-home sex toy parties, facilitators and sexual communication.
BACKGROUND
Previous research suggests that adult bookstores are a unique way through which individuals may learn about sexuality or practice sexual communication. Recently, the woman-oriented in-home sex toy party industry has rapidly expanded in several countries. The purpose of this study was to document the characteristics of the parties, the women who run the parties ('facilitators') and facilitator-consumer communication about sexual health topics.


METHODS
Female facilitators for a large in-home sex toy party company in the USA were invited to participate in an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey.


RESULTS
A total of 1197 completed surveys were received. Most respondents were white (85.2%), heterosexual (91.6%), had at least some college education (76.3%) and were married (59.4%). Most parties were held in another woman's home (88.3%), lasted 1-2 h (72.2%) and had 10 or fewer women in attendance (65.1%). At their most recent party facilitated, most respondents were asked questions about increasing desire/arousal (75.3%), orgasm (57.8%), desire discrepancy (56.4%), erection and ejaculation (73.8%), and vaginal dryness and lubrication (64.5%). Respondents who encountered sexual health questions or disclosures by consumers (those that were more 'askable') scored significantly higher on the Sexual Opinion Survey, indicating greater erotophilia.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that female in-home sex toy party facilitators have the potential to provide a diverse group of women with opportunities to access sexuality information, products and communication and that facilitators' 'askability' is related to erotophilia. Implications for sexual health professionals are discussed.
Herbenick
Debra
D
Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Department of Applied Health Science, HPER 116, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. debby@indiana.edu
Reece
Michael
M
Hollub
Ariane
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D007989:Libido; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm; D010379:Peer Group; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult