Gloria G. Brame, PhD: BDSM Demographics Survey Results

BDSM Demographics Survey Results
revised February 27, 2021

Gloria G. Brame,PhD,ACS

The Survey FAQ ~ The Survey Form
The Survey Results ~ The Survey Main Page

SURVEY RESULTS

author: Gloria G. Brame, PhD
database and technical work: William D. Brame
database design: Dr. Ellen Burnette
Access programming specialist: Aba Enfua

Below are the final results of the BDSM/Fetish Demographics Survey, conducted on this site from September 30 to November 15, 1999. For background information on Dr. Brame, the survey's sponsoring institution, and the goals of this study, refer to the SURVEY FAQ

In thanks to the kink/leather communities for their generous support of this project, the data are being published here free of charge. The report, however, may not be republished or reprinted in any form without prior written consent from its author. All permissions requests must be submitted by regular mail (not email). For further details, contact Dr. Gloria G. Brame.

I hope you find the statistics below to be enlightening, educational, and useful in your own quest for knowledge about the world of BDSM and fetishism.

Before you begin...

Read these important facts:

The total number of participants whose survey forms qualified for inclusion is 6,997

Results are reported in descending order, from highest to lowest totals per category

In calculating percentages, decimals were rounded to the nearest whole number. Some percent totals therefore equal 99% or 101%.

When the percentage is "less than 1%," the decimal figure is shown (in parentheses).

NS: Not Specified. Ambiguous response or multiple answer.

Please remember that these are raw data only. Dr. Brame's commentary will be made available on this site in Spring 2000.

BDSM/Fetish Demographic Survey

QUESTIONS	Total Number of Participants: 6997	Percentage (100%)
A. My biological sex is:
Male	3993	57%
Female	3004	43%
B. I identify as:
Heterosexual	4774	68%
Bisexual	1470	21%
Male Gay	302	4%
Lesbian	289	4%
MTF TG	135	2%
FTM TG	27	less than 1% (0.39)
C. My age is:
26-40	3272	47%
41-59	2594	37%
18-25	986	14%
60 and over	145	2%
1. What is your level of education?
Some College	2621	37%
College Graduate	2125	30%
Post-graduate	1383	20%
High School Graduate	655	9%
Some High School	213	3%
2. How would you describe the place where you currently live?
Major City	2328	33%
Medium-size City	1734	25%
Small City	1224	16%
Small Town	998	14%
Rural	713	10%
3. How would you describe the place where you lived when you were growing up?
Major City	1669	24%
Small Town	1582	23%
Medium-size City	1501	21%
Small City	1208	17%
Rural	1037	15%
4. How would you describe your household income?
Middle Income	4411	63%
Upper Income	1456	21%
Low Income	1016	14%
Wealthy	114	2%
5. How would you describe your parents' household income when you were growing up?
Middle Income	4344	62%
Low Income	1407	20%
Upper Income	1117	16%
Wealthy	129	2%
6. How would you rate your satisfaction with your current income level?
Somewhat Satisfied	2987	43%
Satisfied	1997	29%
Dissatisfied	1755	25%
Very Satisfied	258	4%
7. What label best describes your primary field of work?
Hi-Tech	1048	15%
Other	914	13%
Business/Corporate	766	11%
Health/Medical	605	9%
Banking/Finance	547	8%
Sales	501	7%
Education/Academia	464	7%
Creative Arts	398	6%
Manufacturing/ Industrial	378	5%
Government/Military	285	4%
Construction/Laborer	188	3%
Media/Journalism	167	2%
Home-maker/ full-time parent	148	2%
Social Sciences	146	2%
Not-for-Profit	127	2%
Law Enforcement	107	1%
Lawyer	106	1%
Physical Sciences	75	1%
Clergy	18	less than 1% (0.26)
Politics	8	less than 1% (0.11)
NS	1	--
8. How would you describe your current position?
Salaried Employee	2671	38%
Middle Management	1073	15%
Self-employed	1003	14%
Unemployed/ Student/Retired	549	8%
Upper Management	411	6%
Temporary or Contract Worker	393	6%
CEO/Person in Charge	361	5%
Consultant	334	5%
Never Employed	24	less than 1% (.34)
9. How many hours a week do you typically work?
21-45	3487	50%
46-60	2152	31%
10-20	966	14%
More than 61	392	7%
10. How would you rate your overall job satisfaction?
Satisfied	2620	37%
Somewhat Satisfied	1858	26%
Very Satisfied	1493	21%
Dissatisfied	736	11%
Not Applicable	290	4%
11. How would you describe your political philosophy?
Middle of the Road	2378	34%
Left/Liberal	1654	24%
Democrat	999	14%
Republican	859	12%
Libertarian	573	8%
Conservative/Right	533	8%
NS	1	--
12. How would you describe your parents' political philosophy when you were growing up?
Democrat	1962	28%
Middle of the Road	1920	27%
Republican	1560	22%
Left/Liberal	863	12%
Conservative/Right	642	9%
Libertarian	49	1%
NS	1	--
13. Do you vote in local or national government elections?
Always	3253	46%
Usually	2131	30%
Occasionally	972	14%
Never	640	9%
NS	1	--
14. Do you consider yourself patriotic?
Definitely Yes	3658	52%
Somewhat	2258	32%
Not Really	882	13%
Definitely Not	198	3%
NS	1	--
15. Which statement best describes your social philosophy?
Family First	3991	57%
God First	1419	20%
Self First	927	13%
Community First	504	7%
Country First	155	2%
NS	1	--
16. What is your religious affiliation?
None	1597	23%
Protestant	1578	23%
Roman Catholic	1085	15%
Other Religion	715	10%
Other Christian	700	10%
Pagan	630	9%
Other Jewish	224	3%
Evangelical or Fundamentalist Christian	199	3%
Buddhist	89	1%
Conservative Jewish	67	1%
Mormon	56	1%
Greek/Russian Orthodox	32	less than 1% (0.46)
Moslem	12	less than 1% (0.17)
Hasidic Jewish	6	less than 1% (0.09)
Hindu	6	less than 1% (0.09)
NS	1	--
17. How would you describe your religious beliefs?
Lapsed	2600	37%
Practicing	1777	25%
Agnostic	1329	19%
Atheist	681	10%
Devout	609	9%
NS	1	--
18. How would you describe your parents' religious beliefs?
Lapsed	2549	36%
Practicing	2195	31%
Devout	1439	21%
Agnostic	555	8%
Atheist	256	4%
NS	3	--
19. Do you have the same religious beliefs now that you had when you were growing up?
Definitely Yes	2232	32%
Somewhat	2002	29%
Definitely Not	1568	22%
Not Really	1193	17%
NS	2	--
20. Do you feel there is a conflict between your religious beliefs and your BDSM/fetish desires?
Definitely Not	3030	43%
Not Really	2309	33%
Somewhat	970	14%
Definitely Yes	686	10%
NS	2	--
21. What is your current partnership status?
Permanently Partnered/ Married	2652	38%
Single Again	1575	22%
Committed Relationship	1197	17%
Never Married/ Partnered	962	14%
Polyamorous	331	5%
Separated	212	3%
Widowed/Surviving Partner	66	1%
22. How many children (including foster, adopted and step-children) do you have?
0	3445	49%
1-2	2422	35%
3-5	1035	15%
6 or More	95	1%
23. Generally speaking, how would you describe your relationships with your children?
Not Applicable	3477	50%
Extremely Close	2163	31%
Somewhat Close	1140	16%
Strained	136	2%
Estranged	81	1%
24. Generally speaking, how would you describe your relationship with your mother?
Extremely Close	2715	39%
Somewhat Close	2376	34%
Strained	1306	19%
Estranged	366	5%
Not Applicable	232	3%
NS	2	--
25. Generally speaking, how would you describe your relationship with your father?
Somewhat Close	2202	31%
Extremely Close	1931	28%
Strained	1563	22%
Estranged	754	11%
Not Applicable	545	8%
NS	2	--
26. Was there domestic violence or emotional abuse in your parents' home when you were growing up?
No	4474	64%
Yes	2521	36%
NS	2	--
27. Is there domestic violence or emotional abuse in your family today?
No	6385	91%
Yes	616	9%
NS	2	--
28. Was there substance abuse (alcohol or drugs), compulsive gambling, or other addictive behaviors in your family when you were growing up?
No	4688	67%
Yes	2307	33%
NS	2	--
29. Is there substance abuse (alcohol or drugs), compulsive gambling, or other addictive behaviors in your family today?
No	5893	84%
Yes	1102	16%
NS	2	--
30. Has your sexual identity caused conflicts with family members?
Definitely Not	3004	43%
Not Really	2345	33%
Somewhat	930	13%
Definitely Yes	716	10%
NS	2	--
30. At what age did you realize you were sexually different?
Age 13 to 17	2396	34%
Age 2 to 12	1682	24%
Age 18 to 26	1634	23%
Age 27 to 40	954	14%
Age 41 to 60	318	4%
Over 61	11	less than 1% (0.16)
NS	2	--
31. Have you ever felt guilty or ashamed about your BDSM/fetish interests?
Not Really	2058	29%
Somewhat	2015	29%
Yes, Definitely	1613	23%
Definitely Not	1309	19%
NS	2	--
32. Have you ever tried to change or give up your BDSM/fetish interests to be more normal?
Definitely Not	2252	32%
Not Really	2168	31%
Definitely Yes	1395	20%
Somewhat	1123	16%
NS	2	--
33. Have your BDSM/fetish interests ever hurt your ability to hold a job?
Definitely Not	5803	83%
Not Really	898	13%
Definitely Yes	224	3%
Somewhat	120	2%
NS	2	--
34. Have your BDSM/fetish interests ever hurt your ability to have long-term love relationships?
Definitely Not	2547	36%
Not Really	1996	28%
Somewhat	1573	22%
Definitely Yes	879	13%
NS	2	--
35. Have your BDSM/fetish interests ever caused you to have suicidal thoughts?
Definitely Not	5942	85%
Not Really	603	9%
Definitely Yes	256	4%
Somewhat	193	3%
NS	3	--
36. Have you ever sought out counseling specifically to help you cope with your BDSM/fetish needs?
No	6532	93%
Yes	461	7%
NS	4	--
OPTIONAL QUESTIONS: If you answered no to question #36, please skip ahead to question #37. (Please note, results for 36a and 36b are based on the 461 individuals who answered "yes" above.)
36a. What term best describes the counselor?
Psychiatrist	217	47%
Psychologist	125	27%
Other Licensed Therapist	77	17%
Other	18	4%
Clergy	13	3%
Mentor/Peer Therapist	9	2%
Medical Doctor	2	less than 1% (0.43)
36b. Was the counselor sympathetic to your sexual identity?
Definitely Yes	314	68%
Somewhat	69	15%
Not Really	56	12%
Definitely Not	22	5%
37. What term best describes the person with whom you are most likely to have BDSM/fetish experiences?
A Spouse or Life-partner	2853	41%
A Lover	2475	35%
An On-line Friend	565	8%
A Casual Friend	543	8%
Not Applicable	215	3%
A Sexworker	178	2%
A Stranger	164	2%
NS	4	--
38. How many different BDSM/fetish partners did you have in the last 12 months? (Do not include voyeurs or others who had no direct physical contact with you).
1 to 5	4877	70%
0	1517	22%
6 to 25	532	8%
26 to 50	41	1%
Over 51	30	less than 1% (0.43)
39. Which statement best describes your current BDSM/fetish reality in terms of who knows of your interests?
Only close friends or lovers know	2563	37%
Out to people like me	2372	34%
No one knows	997	14%
Completely out of the closet	903	13%
Only sexworkers know	157	2%
NS	5	--
40. Are you more likely to do BDSM in the privacy of your home or elsewhere (elsewhere includes clubs, play-parties, and professional dungeons)?
Mainly At Home	3244	46%
At Home Only	2273	32%
Mainly Elsewhere	1076	15%
Elsewhere Only	399	6%
NS	5	--


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