Virtual Reality Sex: Benefits And Rise During The Pandemic

Since March, porn has seen traffic reach a record high and with everyone working from home, the line between work and play became just a little blurred. Since the breakout of COVID-19, we have seen an undeniable pattern: as countries went into isolation, their use of porn increased. Porn Hub, the worlds largest porn website measured their daily traffic and reported an average increase of 24% in daily traffic compared to days before lockdown.

With people unable to leave the house and everyone desperate for physical and emotional connection, a trend started to emerge - a big spike in the use of VR porn. Why the sudden rise in popularity? It turns out that VR porn didn’t just fulfill people’s basic sexual needs but gave them a lot more than they initially realized!

It gave people freedom

Many countries around the world put strict isolation rules - you can only go out to get food or medicine. Some were a little more relaxed but the general advice was the same everywhere - stay home, stay safe.

Many people struggled to stay indoors and became agitated and depressed due to a lack of variety and freedom in their day to day lives. In a recent poll, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly half of Americans have seen their mental health impacted by the coronavirus. Porn was an obvious outlet for frustration, but the virtual reality aspect also allowed them to “step outside” and enjoy the “great outdoors”.

What’s important to note, if you’re new to virtual reality, is how realistic it feels. You see your whole environment change around you, therefore by putting on your VR headset, you can instantly transport yourself for a walk on the beach, to a modern restaurant or to a stylish hotel room. Looking at the same 4 walls of your bedroom for months on end made people search for something different, and virtual reality was a very convenient solution. The sexy company was an added bonus!

It helped people in long-distance relationships

So many of us got stranded in other countries and unable to see our partners. Loneliness grew and so did the use of porn. 

There are many things that you can do to make the long-distance relationship work, from frequent video chats to surprising your partner with gift deliveries. But how can you keep the sexual aspect of the relationship strong when you can’t even touch each other? VR porn was one way that helped bridge the gap. Couples could call each other, then enter the virtual space at the same time during their online date nights and even find movies with actors that look like their partner! In the future, we may even be able to create digital versions of ourselves to make this experience that much more realistic.

VR porn is not necessarily just about sex either. Many people opted for it during the pandemic for the more intimate “boyfriend/girlfriend” experience that is designed to soothe your loneliness if you just miss sweet caresses or someone softly whispering in your ear telling you how loved you are. 

It allowed people to explore their fetishes

With lockdown came many things, such as the rise in new hobbies and experiments. People began trying things they’ve always wanted to do but never had the time. Some grew their side business, some began doing online yoga classes and others started crafting. Many also took some time to explore their sexuality and find new kinks and fetishes to enjoy.

Many of us like the idea of trying something taboo in the bedroom, be it a threesome, a bit of BDSM, having same-sex relations or even a full-on gang bang, but often we don’t act upon them due to fear or lack of confidence. VR porn is the perfect way to discover what you might be into in the safe comfort of your home. 

When picking out a VR movie, you can choose any scenario you want and act it out as if you were actually there. There are, of course, some limitations with movement as your avatar usually has to stay completely still in order for it to feel life-like if you’re going for the POV (point of view) perspective. This is also a place where you can’t be judged for your desires and you are free to experiment with absolutely anything and anyone!

The pandemic is still not over, but even in a post-COVID-19 society, there is a real chance that we will be using VR more and more in our daily lives for its convenience and enjoyment.