Digital sexual practices are common in France but associated with harmful exposures that particularly affect young women, with 33% of women aged 18-29 reporting negative online sexual experiences compared to 25% of men in the same age group.
Men reported online sexual experiences more often than women overall.
Sending and receiving intimate images was common among both men and women.
Older generations adopted digital sexual practices later in life rather than not at all.
Negative online sexual experiences showed a marked gender contrast, especially among young adults aged 18-29.
Risk factors for negative online sexual experiences differed by gender.
Same-sex partnership was associated with higher rates of digital sexual practices.
This research surveyed nearly 16,000 French adults aged 18 to 59 about their online sexual experiences, including sending and receiving intimate images and encountering unwanted or harmful digital sexual content. The study found that these digital sexual practices are widespread, with more than half of men and nearly half of women reporting some form of online sexual experience. Sending intimate images was reported by about one in five women and one in four men, while receiving them was slightly more common in both groups. The research also found that harmful online sexual experiences — such as cyberharassment or non-consensual sharing of intimate images — are a significant concern, particularly for young women. While roughly similar proportions of all adults aged 18-59 reported negative experiences (19% of women and 17% of men), the gap was much larger among those aged 18-29, where 33% of young women reported negative experiences compared to 25% of young men. Single women and those in poor health faced higher risks, while among men, those with same-sex partners and lower education levels were most at risk. Older generations were not absent from these practices but tended to adopt them later in life. This research suggests that digital sexual practices carry both potential benefits and real risks, and that the harms are not evenly distributed — young women bear a disproportionate burden. The authors call for lifelong education about digital intimate exchanges and better support for people who experience these new forms of sexual violence, highlighting a need for public health and policy responses that account for differences in vulnerability by age, gender, sexual orientation, and social situation.
A. Andro, Rim Bellamine, A. Bohet. (2026). Digital Sexual Practices, Consensual and Non-Consensual Experiences and Wellbeing Consequences in the CSF-2023 French National Survey.. Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health. https://doi.org/10.1111/psrh.70084