Improvements of Sexual Reality through Virtual Interactions
The adult virtual reality is a relatively new industry, one that’s rapidly growing in innovative and exciting ways. It was just two months ago that Pornhub, for example, launched its own virtual reality section, and yet some of the videos in this section have over 6 million views. Meanwhile, sites like VirtualRealPorn.com (home to the largest collection of 180° and 360° adult videos) are partnering with teledildonic devices such as Kiiroo to provide users with truly interactive experiences.
The VirtualRealPorn.com tagline ‘Feel Real Sex in VR’ taps into the potency of such technology. People are using virtual reality devices to get something that transcends conventional pornographic experiences: they’re using them to gain a connection. Articles all over the net are hailing virtual reality as a cornerstone in the future of sex and, with digital sex dolls on the advent, some are speculating that by 2030 the majority of people will have virtual sex and, by 2050, sex with robots will also be commonplace.
What Does This Mean for My Relationship?
“But if people are having sex with VR devices, porn, and robots then what chance do I stand?” you might ask, but I can assure you things aren’t all do and gloom. In fact, the use of VR sex in a relationship can be amazing, empowering, and could actually improve your sex life.
Intrigued as to how? Let’s look at just a few ways that VR can benefit a relationship.
Taking the First Step
When partnering with Kiiroo, Todd Glider, CEO of BaDoinkVR, made a very strong case for the benefits of VR, especially when it came to those new to relationships.
Most of us went through that awkward stage as a teenager where we were ready for sex and a relationship, but still felt woefully ill-equipped when it came to actually having sex. The media image of Jim Levenstein trying out some American Pie in the movie of the same name is an iconic example of this adolescent fumble in the dark which we can all partially empathize with.
While nothing can truly replicate the experience of skin-on-skin contact, adult interactions through VR may provide certain adults with a chance to experience their first immersive sexual encounters without fear of failure, ridicule, or inexperience being a problem.
This is Glider’s focus. ‘We’re well suited to address one of those phobias specifically: erotophobia, or fear of sex,’ he says. ‘Whether the result of religious upbringing or poor sex education in our school systems, there is a lot of people with a negative view of sex. So we’ll try to help people overcome intimacy issues, fears about performance, and beyond through virtual reality.’
So if you or your partner have minimal (or no) sexual experience VR can be a fantastic way to work through any apprehensions ahead of time.
Working Through Sexual Dysfunction
Erotophobia has been one condition that adult VR is being used for but, personally, I think its application for treating other sexual dysfunctions could yield some very positive results.
Treatment for premature ejaculation, for example, typically asks the sufferer to bring themselves to the point of arousal before delaying sensation and to train up to intercourse with this method.
While doing this with a partner can be incredibly intimate, it could also cause fear, pressure, or a sense of inadequacy or frustration in the initial stages of treatment.
For people who feel like they need to build up to working on their sexual dysfunction with their partner VR is a great first step for working towards sexual recovery: It can be done alone, it allows for a safe space, and it acclimatizes the user to sensations that aren’t self-controlled without the anxiety that having a partner present might cause at first.
This allows people to take treatment at their own pace, and build up to a happier and healthier sex life with their partner.
It Provides an Outlet for Sexual Fantasies
Almost all of us have some form of sexual fantasy and fetishism is more common than you’d think. However, not every couple will find that their fantasies align, and some fetish-based itches may need to be scratched in other ways.
Adult VR experiences provide a perfect outlet for users who wish to indulge in their fantasies without it negatively impacting their relationship. And, as long as both partners are happy and in the know about the situation, it could provide the perfect way to explore your desired sexual outlet in a way that makes everyone happy.
While this hasn’t been tested in relation to VR (adult virtual reality is still pretty new after all) we can look at the research regarding porn for this point. In a study undertaken by the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy researchers found that female participants were typically only unhappy with their partners watching porn if the porn consumption was done through secrecy and deceit. Meanwhile, women who knew about their partner’s porn habits reported higher relationship satisfaction and lower levels of distress than their counterparts.
When it comes to adult VR as a sexual outlet, honesty can really make all the difference.
The Takeaway
Adult virtual reality has opened up a whole new world to us, but that doesn’t mean that those in a relationship are going to abandon or move away from the world they already know and love. Pornography, in particular, is not a new development and pre-existing research has shown that mutual and/or open porn consumption can lead to positive results in a relationship, so why shouldn’t this be the case for adult VR experiences too?
When used constructively virtual reality can act as a complementary aspect of a couple’s relationship and may even make sex a more thrilling for everyone involved. Sex tech truly is a modern marvel.
Written by
Emmeline Peaches
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