Sexual health
KEY FIGURES
Satisfaction with sex life
Around 50 % of LGBT+ persons ...
Around 50 % of the remaining population ...
... report having had a good sex life the past year.
Source: Frisch et al. (2019).
Sexually transmitted diseases
19 % of homosexual women ...
32 % of heterosexual women ...
55 % of homosexual men ...
26 % of heterosexual men ...
... have had a sexually transmitted disease.
Source: Frisch et al. (2019).
Sexual assault
1.5-7 times as many LGBT+ persons as the rest of the population ...
... have by threats, force or violence been pressured into unwanted sexual activities.
Source: Frisch et al. (2019).
- The LGBT+ community generally experiences the same degree of satisfaction with their sex lives as the rest of the population.
- Compared to the rest of the population, homosexual women and transgender men are rarely diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases.
- LGBT+ persons suffer more sexual assaults than the rest of the population. This is particularly true for bisexual women and transgender persons. 31 % of bisexual women have been sexually assaulted.
- Homosexual and bisexual men are sexually assaulted 6-7 times as often as the rest of the population. Men who suffer sexual assault experience stigma and taboo and are less inclined to get help or report the incident to the police.
- Sexually transmitted diseases are overrepresented in the entire LGBT+ group, with the exception of homosexual women and transgender men. Twice as many homosexual men (55 %) as heterosexual men (26 %) have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease.
Editing was completed September 2023
Good sexual health is when a person is physically, emotionally, mentally and socially happy with their sexuality. This allows them to experience pleasure and live out their sexuality alone or together with others. Furthermore, good sexual health is the ability to follow one’s sexual orientation without being subjected to force, discrimination and violence.
Generally seen, LGBT+ persons are just as happy with their sex lives as the rest of the population. Around half of the Danish population – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – report having had a good or excellent sex life the past year.
The large population study on the sex lives and sexual health of Danes, Project SEXUS, indicates that having a well-functioning sex life is equally important for LGBT+ individuals as it is for the rest of the population. Overall, the LGBT+ group has their needs satisfied to an equal extent as of the rest of the population and generally experiences slightly more frequent sexual desire.
Satisfaction with sex life
“It takes time, resources and energy to prioritise your sexual health. If I get too little sleep, or if I work too much – or have unpleasant experiences – it affects my experience of sexual health.”
-Ciliane (LGBT+-person)
![Portræt af Ciliane](/files/styles/common_02/public/media/image/Ciliane.jpg?itok=cIOUN5Zc)
Sexually transmitted diseases, also known as venereal diseases, can be painful and long-lasting, but are also easy to prevent through contraception or e.g. HIV-preventive medicine (PrEP).
Fewer homosexual women than heterosexual women have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease. More than half of homosexual men and just under half of bisexual women have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease.
Here it is important to consider the fact that LGBT+ persons, especially homosexual men, considerably more often than the rest of the population have had unprotected sex the past year.
Uncertainty as to whether and to which extent sexually transmitted diseases are contagious contributes to fewer homosexual women being tested fewer homosexual women get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, while fewer homosexual and bisexual women as well as transgender men get screened for cervical cancer.
The number of new diagnosed cases of HIV has decreased significantly from 203 cases in 2015 to 81 cases in 2021. Men who have sex with men represent around half of the new cases. Since 2019, PrEP – preventive medicine reducing the risk of HIV by more than 99 % – has been available in Denmark. Today, persons with well-treated HIV do not pass on the virus to others.
The Danish AIDS foundation, AIDS-Fondet, seeks to prevent and increase awareness of HIV. AIDS-Fondet runs Checkpoint clinics throughout the country, which are targeted at LGBT+ persons and young people aged 15-29 years who wish to get tested or are looking for information about HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.
Book an appointment at: https://aidsfondet.dk/checkpoint/
Despite significant progress in prevention and treatment of HIV, persons infected with HIV are still subject to stigmatisation due to prejudice and lack of knowledge. HIV-related stigma can make persons infected with HIV keep their status a secret and refrain from treatment for fear of prejudice and discrimination.
The past decade has seen the emergence of the concept chemsex (using drugs before or during sex). How many people practise chemsex in Denmark is unknown. Chemsex increases the risk of infection with sexually transmitted diseases because of the effect of the drugs, failure to use birth control and the type of sex practised.
Sexually transmitted diseases
“Spending time with other queers, that is, being part of a community, makes me feel safe and at ease. It gives me a sense of good sexual health.”
-Ciliane (LGBT+-person)
Sexual health is also about being able to follow one’s sexual orientation without being subjected to force, discrimination or violence. Sexual assaults can have major psychological consequences and due to shame and taboo, many sexual assaults are never reported to the police.
Generally seen, women are far more often subjected to sexual assaults than men. One in 10 heterosexual or cisgender women has been sexually assaulted while this number is one in 100 among cisgender or heterosexual men.
When men are sexually assaulted, the perpetrator is typically another man. Compared to heterosexual men, homosexual and bisexual men are 7-8 times more exposed to sexual assault. Just over one in four transgender men and nonbinary persons has experienced sexual assault.
Up until recently, men were ignored in surveys on and initiatives directed at victims of sexual assault. Furthermore, men who are sexually assaulted are less inclined to report the incident to the police or to get help.
The Danish Ministry of Justice’s annual victimisation survey estimates that in 2021 around 62,000-81,000 women aged 16-74 years were subjected to rape or attempted rape within the last five years; the same was true for around 6,000-13,000 men.
If you have been sexually assaulted, you can get help at the regional Center for Sexual Assaults. Read more here: https://www.voldtaegt.dk/
Adults who have been sexually assaulted in childhood or adolescence can contact the Center for Victims of Sexual Assault, which offers free therapy and counselling for adults with long-term effects of sexual assaults in childhood. Read more here. https://csm-danmark.dk/
Sexual assault
- Frisch, M., Moseholm, E., Andersson, M., Andresen, J. B., & Graugaard, C. (2019). Sex i Danmark - Nøgletal fra Projekt SEXUS 2017-2018. Statens Serum Institut & Aalborg Universitet.
- HIV – opgørelse over sygdomsforekomst 2021 (2022). Statens Serum Institut.
- Enevoldsen, M. & Minor, E. (2021). Unge heteroseksuelle og LGBT+personers testadfærd – en undersøgelse om motivation, barrierer og viden i forhold til test og sexsygdomme. AIDS-Fondet og Checkpoint.
- AIDS-Fondet (2017). ”Min læge sagde, at lesbiske slet ikke kunne få sexsygdomme”. Undersøgelse om seksuel sundhed blandt lesbiske, biseksuelle, queers og kvinder, der har sex med kvinder. Aidsfondet.
- Ribe, M. Ø. (2017). Anmeldelsestilbøjelighed blandt ofre for seksuelle overgreb. Justitsministeriets Forskningskontor.