Dogging (sexual slang) explained

Dogging is a British English slang term for engaging in sexual acts in a public or semi-public place or watching others doing so.[1] There may be more than two participants; both group sex and gang banging can be included. As observation is encouraged, voyeurism and exhibitionism are closely associated with dogging. The people involved meet either randomly or, increasingly, arrange beforehand over the Internet to meet up.[2]

In September 2003, BBC News[3] reported on the "new" dogging craze. They cited the Internet and text messaging as common ways of organising meetings. The original definition of dogging—and which remains a closely related activity—is spying on couples having sex in a car or other public place,[4] and the term had been in use on Britain's railways for many years. It would have been well-known at least as far back as 1951.[5]

There is some evidence on the Internet that the "craze" has begun to spread to other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Denmark,[6] the Netherlands, Norway,[7] Poland,[8] and Sweden.[9]

Legality

In Great Britain, dogging comes under laws related to voyeurism, exhibitionism, or public displays of sexual behaviour. Prosecution is possible for a number of offences such as Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986,[10] exposure under section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003,[11] or for the common law offence of outraging public decency. Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) policy was that arrests are a last resort and a more gradual approach should be taken in such circumstances.[12] As such public sex in some areas of the UK sits in a slightly grey area legally: "…Public sex is a popular—and quasi-legal—activity in Britain, according to the authorities and to the large number of Web sites that promote it. (It is treated as a crime only if someone witnesses it, is offended and is willing to make a formal complaint.) And the police tend to tread lightly in public sex environments, in part because of the bitter legacy of the time when gay sex was illegal and closeted men having anonymous sex in places like public bathrooms were routinely arrested and humiliated."[1]

Terminology

The Sunday Herald of Scotland wrote in 2003, "The term dogging originated in the early 1970s to describe men who spied on couples having sex outdoors—these men would 'dog' the couples' every move and watch them."[13] An alternative etymology posits dog walking as the origin of the term; audience members, and indeed participants, could use the ordinary exercise of their pets as cover for their sexual assignations.[1]

See also

References

General and cited references

Notes and References

  1. News: Sarah . Hardacre . Here's the Pub, Church and Field for Public Sex . . Puttenham Journal (column) . A10 . 7 October 2010 . 8 October 2010 . 6 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180906090505/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/world/europe/08puttenham.html?pagewanted=all . live .
  2. News: 'Dogging' hotspot to be policed . 9 February 2009 . . 25 June 2009 . 6 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180906090503/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/7878889.stm . live .
  3. News: 'Dogging' craze sex disease risk. 8 September 2003. BBC News. 25 June 2009. 1 February 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090201020946/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3119024.stm. live.
  4. News: Kahney . Leander . Dogging Craze Has Brits in Heat . . 19 April 2004 . 7 January 2014 . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429000206/http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/03/62718?currentPage=all . live .
  5. Book: Ian Allan Publishing . British Railway Disasters . Ian Allan . 1996 . 978-0-7110-2470-0 . 192.
  6. Web site: Masser af sex på landsdelens rastepladser . Kåre Rolf . Hansen . da . TV Midtvest . 29 May 2011 . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130621161445/http://www.tvmidtvest.dk/indhold/masser-af-sex-paa-landsdelens-rastepladser . 21 June 2013 .
  7. News: Gray . Martin . Tenner på risikosex . . Oslo . no . 4 February 2007 . 20 August 2007 . Fenomenet 'dogging' brer om seg og er i ferd med å få fotfeste i Norge. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070715214635/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article1627552.ece . 15 July 2007 .
  8. Web site: Uprawiają seks w centrum Warszawy . . 9 October 2007 . pl . 7 January 2014 . Łazienki, park Szczęśliwicki i Skaryszewski to ulubione miejsca doggersów. Umawiają się przez internet, by na oczach przypadkowych przechodniów uprawiać niezobowiązujący seks. . https://web.archive.org/web/20070612005303/http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/1620190%2C11%2Citem.html . 12 June 2007 . dead . Archive date is [sic].
  9. News: Abrahamsson . Karin . Sommarens heta sextrend . sv . . 14 July 2008 . 12 June 2010 . Träffpunkter och nätverk för dogging finns över hela Sverige. . 26 May 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100526075151/http://www.aftonbladet.se/wendela/relationer/article2896145.ab . live .
  10. Web site: Section 5 . . . 8 January 2015 . 14 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180914095911/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/64/section/5 . live .
  11. Web site: Section 66 . . . 26 April 2014 . 5 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180905013348/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/66 . live .
  12. News: Police leniency call on park sex . . 17 October 2008 . 1 May 2010 . 9 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100909071357/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/7674874.stm . live .
  13. News: Councils voice concern over new sex craze . . Glasgow . Jen . Johnston . 21 September 2003 . 28 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030922095216/http://www.sundayherald.com/36866 . 22 September 2003 . dead .

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