Some women do, but more say they don’t. 25.7% of US women said anal sex with a penis has felt pleasurable, while 34.0% said it felt unpleasurable, in a nationally representative survey of 3,017 women by Hensel et al. (2022).
Trying it is more common than liking it. 35.9% of US women aged 18 to 44 have had anal sex with a male partner, according to a CDC National Survey of Family Growth report (2011–2013).
In this article, we’ll break down how many women have had anal sex by age and country, how many enjoy it, orgasm and pain data, why women have it, how porn compares with real life, and the health risks.
Top Statistics on Women and Anal Sex
- 25.7% of US women say anal sex with a penis has felt pleasurable, and 34.0% say it has felt unpleasurable.
- 35.9% of US women aged 18 to 44 have had anal sex with a male partner (CDC NSFG, 2011–2013).
- 79.1% of women in an online study by Croatian researchers said their first anal sex was painful.
- 19% of women who have had receptive anal sex say they have orgasmed from it alone, compared with 39% of men.
- 45% of French women who have had anal sex say their first time was something they wanted, compared with 74% of men, in an online poll commissioned by sex-toy brand LELO.
- Anal sex appears in 17% of popular porn videos but in only 4% of US adults’ most recent sexual encounters.
- Only 16.4% of US women aged 15 to 44 used a condom the last time they had anal sex, compared with 28% at last vaginal sex.
Do Women Like Anal Sex?
About 1 in 4 US women have found it pleasurable. In a 2018 survey of 3,017 US women aged 18 to 93, 25.7% said anal penetration with a penis had felt pleasurable and 34.0% said it had felt unpleasurable, according to Hensel et al. (2022). The rest had never tried it or didn’t know.
Among women who rated it either way, about 43% found it pleasurable (our calculation). Broader anal touch scores higher: 43.5% of women said some form of anal touch had felt pleasurable, and 40.3% enjoyed touch on the outside of the anus.
Here’s a breakdown of how US women rate different kinds of anal penetration:
| Type of Penetration | Found It Pleasurable | Found It Unpleasurable |
|---|---|---|
| Partner’s finger | 28.3% | 31.6% |
| Penis | 25.7% | 34.0% |
| Sex toy | 17.4% | 30.9% |
| Own finger | 15.4% | 36.0% |
| Any type | 34.6% | 23.6% (all types unpleasurable) |
Notably, 25.8% of women had never tried any form of anal touch.
Smaller studies show a similar split. 58.1% of women who kept having anal sex described it as very arousing and pleasurable, according to Štulhofer and Ajduković (2013). In focus groups with 32 US women with a history of drug use, 31% found anal sex enjoyable and 47% found it uncomfortable, according to a summary of Reynolds et al. (2015) by Sex and Psychology.
How Many Women Have Had Anal Sex?
About a third of women in the US and the UK. 35.9% of US women aged 18 to 44 have had anal sex with a male partner, according to the NSFG (2011–2013). Other US surveys land between 33% and 37.3%.
Far fewer do it regularly. 13.2% of sexually active US women aged 15 to 44 had anal sex in the past year, according to Benson et al. (2015), based on NSFG data for 2006–2010. That’s about 1 in 3 of the women who had ever tried it (our calculation).
Only 4.4% of US women reported receptive anal sex in the past month in the 2015 Sexual Exploration in America Study, compared with 37.3% who had ever done it.
Here’s a breakdown of lifetime anal sex among women in major surveys:
| Survey | Country | Women (Age) | Ever Had Anal Sex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ifop for LELO (2025)* | France | 18+ | 49% |
| Sexual Exploration in America (2015) | US | 18+ | 37.3% |
| NHANES (2009–2010) | US | 20–69 | 37.3% |
| NSFG, Benson et al. (2006–2010) | US | 15–44 | 36.3% |
| NSFG, Copen et al. (2011–2013) | US | 18–44 | 35.9% |
| Zaliznyak et al. (2020 survey) | US | 18+ | 33% |
| Natsal-3 (2010–2012) | UK | 16–74 | 28% |
| ASHR2 (2012–2013) | Australia | 16–69 | 19.3% |
*Online company poll of 2,000 French adults commissioned by sex-toy brand LELO.
Source: CDC NSFG; Benson et al.; Herbenick et al.; Markland et al. via Healio; ISSM; Natsal-3 (our calculation); Phillips et al.; Ifop
The surveys cover different age ranges, so comparisons are rough. Britain’s 28% covers women up to 74. Among British women aged 16 to 44, the figure is 35%, close to the US rate. Australia’s 19.3% comes from the ASHR2 survey as cited by Phillips et al. (2021).
Is Anal Sex Becoming More Common?
Slowly, in the US. Among women aged 25 to 44, 35% had tried anal sex in 2002, according to Mosher et al., 36% in 2006–2008, according to Chandra et al., and 38.5% in 2011–2013, according to Copen et al.. That’s a rise of 3.5 percentage points (our calculation).
The change in France has been larger. 14% of French women had ever had anal sex in a 1970 Ifop survey, according to Ifop, compared with 49% in the 2025 Ifop poll for LELO. That’s 3.5 times the 1970 share (our calculation). Ifop warns that comparisons with the 1970 survey should be read with caution because of differences in scope and wording.
How Common Is Anal Sex for Women by Age?
Women aged 25 to 29 are the most likely to have tried it. 45.6% of US women aged 25 to 29 had ever had anal sex in the 2009 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB), but only 21.1% had done so in the past year.
Past-year rates peak at 23.4% among women aged 20 to 24 and drop to 5.6% among women in their 50s.
Here’s a breakdown of US women who have had anal sex, by age:
| Age | Past Year | Ever |
|---|---|---|
| 18–19 | 18.0% | 20.0% |
| 20–24 | 23.4% | 39.9% |
| 25–29 | 21.1% | 45.6% |
| 30–39 | 21.6% | 40.4% |
| 40–49 | 11.7% | 40.6% |
| 50–59 | 5.6% | 34.6% |
| 60–69 | 4.0% | 29.8% |
| 70+ | 1.0% | 21.2% |
Newer US data show the same age pattern. 28.4% of women aged 18 to 24 had ever had anal sex in 2011–2013, compared with 38.5% of women aged 25 to 44, according to Copen et al.
British women follow a similar curve. Here’s a breakdown of heterosexual anal sex among British women by age:
| Age | Ever | Past Year |
|---|---|---|
| 16–24* | 29% | 17% |
| 25–34 | 39% | 15% |
| 35–44 | 36% | 12% |
| 45–54 | 25% | 8% |
| 55–64 | 19% | 4% |
| 65–74 | 18% | 4% |
| All 16–74 | 28% | 10% |
*Includes ages 16 and 17.
Source: our calculation from Natsal-3 Reference Tables, Table 16, survey of 8,625 women in Britain, 2010–2012
Can Women Orgasm From Anal Sex?
Some can, but fewer than men. 19% of women with experience of receptive anal sex said they had orgasmed from it alone, compared with 39% of men, in a 2020 survey of 964 US adults by Zaliznyak et al., published in Sexual Medicine in 2025 and reported by PsyPost.
That makes men about twice as likely to orgasm this way (our calculation). 32% of women who had receptive anal sex had never orgasmed from it, compared with 16% of men, according to ISSM.
Here’s a breakdown of orgasm and anal sex for women and men:
| Measure | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Needed other stimulation at the same time to orgasm | 49% | 47% |
| Have had receptive anal sex | 33% | 23% |
| Never orgasmed from receptive anal sex | 32% | 16% |
| Orgasmed from receptive anal sex alone | 19% | 39% |
The often-quoted “94%” figure needs context. 93.5% of US women whose most recent sexual encounter included anal sex reached orgasm, compared with 65.9% when it included vaginal sex, in NSSHB event-level data by Herbenick et al. (2010), according to Sex and Psychology.
But those encounters rarely involved anal sex alone. Only 6% did, while 86% also included vaginal sex and 72% included oral sex for the woman, according to Slate. Anal sex was part of just 3% to 4% of women’s most recent encounters.
A larger survey points the same way. In an online survey of 52,588 US adults, women who orgasmed more often were more likely to report anal stimulation, according to Frederick et al. (2018). Overall, 65% of heterosexual women usually or always orgasm during sex, compared with 95% of heterosexual men.
Among women who enjoy anal touch, 27.6% say it makes orgasms more intense, and 9.2% can orgasm from anal touch alone, according to Hensel et al. For how sex positions relate to orgasm, see the most popular sex positions.
Does Anal Sex Hurt for Women?
Often, especially the first time. 79.1% of women said their first anal sex was painful, in an online survey of 1,893 women aged 18 to 60 by Štulhofer and Ajduković (2013). For most of them, the pain eased over time.
Pain often ends the first attempt. 48.8% of women who had tried it had to stop their first anal sex because of pain or discomfort, in a survey of 2,002 Croatian women aged 18 to 30 by Štulhofer and Ajduković (2011). Even so, 62.3% kept having anal sex afterwards.
Here’s a breakdown of pain-related findings:
| Finding | Share of Women | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| First anal sex was painful | 79.1% | 1,893 women aged 18–60 (online) |
| Did not find penetration pleasurable the first time | 67.7% | US women who now enjoy anal penetration |
| Had to stop the first time because of pain | 48.8% | 1,265 women aged 18–30 who had tried it (Croatia) |
| Rarely or never feel pain or discomfort | 27.7% | Women with regular anal sex in the past year |
| Severe pain at every penetration | 8.7% | 505 women with anal sex twice or more in the past year |
Discomfort rarely disappears completely. Only 27.7% of women who regularly had anal sex said they rarely or never felt pain, which means about 72.3% still did at least sometimes (our calculation).
Even women who now enjoy it often had a poor start: 67.7% didn’t find penetration pleasurable at first. Women who enjoy anal touch most often credited a partner who approached it in a way that worked (44.6%), being with someone they loved (39.4%) and trying it on their own terms (18.5%), according to Hensel et al. The mean age at which they discovered anal pleasure was 27.
Why Do Women Have Anal Sex?
Pleasure and curiosity are the main reasons women give, but partner pressure plays a role too. Among US women who enjoy anal touch, 38.9% said it is its own unique sensation and 27.6% said it makes orgasms more intense, according to Hensel et al. (2022).
Interviews point to the same motives. In 20 in-depth interviews with US women aged 18 to 50 who had recent anal sex, the main motivators were their partner’s and their own pleasure, plus sexual curiosity and experimentation, according to Benson et al. (2019).
Not every first time is wanted, though. Only 45% of French women who have had anal sex said their first time was something they wanted at that moment, compared with 74% of men, in a 2025 Ifop poll of 2,000 adults commissioned by LELO.
That leaves 55% of these women whose first time was not their own wish (our calculation). 39% said they had agreed to anal sex to please a partner without really wanting it, as reported by Paris Match Belgique.
In the Reynolds focus groups of women with a history of drug use, 62.5% named being high as a reason they had anal sex, and coercion and wanting to please a male partner were among the six reasons women gave, according to Sex and Psychology. For how common other sexual interests are, see the most common fetishes.
How Does Anal Sex in Porn Compare With Real Life?
Anal sex appears about 4 times as often in porn videos as in people’s most recent encounters. It appeared in 17% of 2,562 male-female videos from two popular porn sites, compared with 4% of US adults’ most recent sexual encounters, according to Fritz et al. (2022).
People who watch porn with a partner report much more of it. 25% of adults who watched porn together with a partner (15 of 61 people) had anal sex at their last encounter, compared with 3% of those who don’t watch porn, about 8 times as often (our calculation). The study shows a link, not cause and effect.
Other content studies find a wide range. Heterosexual anal sex appears in 15% to 32% of internet porn videos and 42% to 56% of DVD scenes, according to a systematic review by Carrotte et al. (2020).
It’s also a top category. Anal was Pornhub’s 4th most-viewed category worldwide in 2025 and ranked 4th among women viewers too, according to the company’s Year in Review as reported by Tyla. In 2024 it ranked 2nd, according to Man of Many. For the full ranking, see the most popular porn categories.
Is Anal Sex Safe for Women?
It carries a higher infection risk than vaginal sex. Receptive anal sex with an HIV-positive partner carries an estimated HIV risk of 138 per 10,000 exposures, about 17 times the 8 per 10,000 for receptive vaginal sex, according to the CDC.
Here’s a breakdown of the estimated per-act HIV risk by type of sex:
| Type of Sex | Estimated HIV Risk per 10,000 Exposures |
|---|---|
| Receptive anal | 138 |
| Insertive anal | 11 |
| Receptive vaginal | 8 |
| Insertive vaginal | 4 |
Yet condoms are used less for anal sex than for vaginal sex. Only 16.4% of US women aged 15 to 44 used a condom at their last anal sex, compared with 28% at last vaginal sex, according to Benson et al. (2015). The CDC lists condom use among the factors that lower HIV risk.
Condom use stayed low in newer data: condom use at last anal sex ranged from 15.3% to 18.2% among sexually active US women aged 15 to 44 between 2011 and 2019, according to an NSFG analysis summarised by Info4Practice.
Myths about risk are common. More than 70% of US adults wrongly believe vaginal sex carries a higher HIV risk than anal sex, and 6.6% of women have used anal sex to avoid pregnancy, according to a summary of a national survey led by Lyndsey Benson for the Society of Family Planning.
There is also a link with bowel control. 9.9% of US women who reported anal intercourse had fecal incontinence, compared with 7.4% of women who didn’t, in NHANES 2009–2010 data on 2,070 women, according to Markland et al. via Healio (2016). After adjustment, the odds were 1.5 times higher. This is an association, not proof of cause.
Anyone with pain, bleeding or bowel changes after anal sex should talk to a doctor, who can also advise on STI testing.
Methodology
We reviewed 172 data points from 29 sources. Prevalence figures come from national probability surveys: the CDC’s National Survey of Family Growth, the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (2009), the 2015 Sexual Exploration in America Study, NHANES 2009–2010, Britain’s Natsal-3 (2010–2012) and Australia’s ASHR2 (2012–2013). They use different age ranges and question wording (“ever” vs “past year” vs “most recent encounter”), so their percentages are not directly comparable.
Enjoyment, technique and motive figures for US women come from Hensel et al. (2022), a probability survey run with sex-education company OMGYES. Pain figures come from Croatian online convenience samples (Štulhofer and Ajduković), and the Reynolds et al. and Benson et al. (2019) studies are small qualitative samples. The Zaliznyak et al. survey is an online panel matched to the US census. The French figures come from a 2025 Ifop poll commissioned by sex-toy brand LELO, compared with earlier surveys that used different methods.
Orgasm-at-last-event figures from the NSSHB come from secondary summaries. Porn content figures come from Fritz et al. (2022) and a systematic review by Carrotte et al. (2020); Pornhub rankings are the company’s own data as reported by the press. HIV risks are CDC per-act estimates. British “ever” and “past year” shares, ratios and percentage-point changes are our own calculations.
Key Takeaways
Women are split on anal sex. 35.9% of US women aged 18 to 44 have tried it, but only 25.7% of US women have found anal sex with a penis pleasurable, while 34.0% found it unpleasurable. Pain is common, especially at first: 79.1% of women in one study said their first time hurt.
Women can orgasm from anal sex, but less often than men: 19% of those who have had receptive anal sex have orgasmed from it alone, compared with 39% of men. Porn shows anal sex about 4 times as often as it happens in real life, and receptive anal sex carries a far higher HIV risk than vaginal sex, while only 16.4% of women used a condom the last time.
FAQ
Do most women like anal sex?
No. 25.7% of US women say anal sex with a penis has felt pleasurable, compared with 34.0% who found it unpleasurable. Counting fingers and toys too, 34.6% have found some form of anal penetration pleasurable, and 43.5% enjoy some form of anal touch.
What percentage of women have had anal sex?
35.9% of US women aged 18 to 44 have had anal sex with a male partner (NSFG, 2011–2013). In a 2009 national survey, the share peaked at 45.6% among women aged 25 to 29. Only 13.2% of sexually active women had anal sex in the past year.
Can women orgasm from anal sex?
Some can. 19% of women who have had receptive anal sex say they have orgasmed from it alone, compared with 39% of men, and 32% of women who have tried it never have. 49% of women need other stimulation at the same time.
Does anal sex hurt the first time?
Usually. 79.1% of women in one online study said their first anal sex was painful, and 48.8% of young women who had tried it in another study had to stop the first time. Only 27.7% of women who have anal sex regularly rarely or never feel pain.
How common is anal sex for couples?
Less common than surveys of "ever" suggest. Anal sex was part of just 4% of US adults' most recent sexual encounters, and 4.4% of US women had it in the past month in 2015.
Is anal sex riskier than vaginal sex?
Yes. The CDC estimates the HIV risk of receptive anal sex at 138 per 10,000 exposures, about 17 times the risk of receptive vaginal sex. Only 16.4% of US women aged 15 to 44 used a condom at their last anal sex.
