Troilism is a sexual behavior in which three people are involved in a consensual sexual encounter together. It is also known as “threesome” or “ménage à trois”. The term “troilism” was first used by Richard von Krafft-Ebing in his book Psychopathia Sexualis in 1886.
There is a wide range of reasons why people engage in troilism, with some of the most common motivations being sexual variety and exploration, power dynamics, and making fantasies come true. In a study conducted by Herbenick et al. (2014), the majority of surveyed individuals reported that their primary motivation for engaging in troilism was to fulfill a sexual fantasy or to experience something new. Other motivations included the pleasure of group sex, the thrill of taboo activities, and the desire to explore power dynamics between the three participants.
The literature on troilism is limited, but there is evidence to suggest that it is a relatively common behavior among adults. A study conducted by Hald and Høgh-Olesen (2008) found that approximately one-fifth of the surveyed individuals reported engaging in a threesome in the past year. Similarly, a study by Vrangalova and Savin-Williams (2013) found that 12% of the surveyed individuals reported having engaged in a threesome in their lifetime.
Though troilism appears to be a relatively common sexual behavior, there are several potential risks associated with it. The most common risks include contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI), feelings of jealousy or insecurity, and difficulties related to communication and consent. Additionally, because troilism often involves a power imbalance between the three participants, there is also a risk of one partner taking advantage of the other two (Herbenick et al., 2014).
In conclusion, troilism is a sexual behavior in which three people are involved in a consensual sexual encounter together. The motivations behind troilism vary, but some of the most common include sexual variety and exploration, power dynamics, and making fantasies come true. Though troilism appears to be a relatively common behavior among adults, there are several potential risks associated with it, such as contracting an STI, feelings of jealousy or insecurity, and difficulties related to communication and consent.
References
Hald, G. M., & Høgh-Olesen, H. (2008). Prevalence and predictors of bisexual behavior in men and women: A cross-cultural study of university students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 37(2), 211-222.
Herbenick, D., Reece, M., Schick, V., Sanders, S.A., Dodge, B., & Fortenberry, J.D. (2014). Prevalence and characteristics of vibrator use by men in the United States. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 11(5), 1278-1290.
Vrangalova, Z., & Savin-Williams, R.C. (2013). Mostly heterosexual and mostly gay/lesbian: Evidence for new sexual orientation identities. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(3), 533-547.