Warm weather brings surge in outdoor sex with strangers

Rising temperatures in Denmark have sparked a sharp increase in interest in “dogging,” the practice of outdoor sex with strangers, according to the editor of the independent media outlet Eroti.dk.

Lise Petersen told DR’s P1 Orientering that the site has recorded a significant spike in searches and engagement with guides related to dogging in recent weeks. She described it as a “massive digital footprint,” with users actively seeking information to connect with like-minded individuals and arrange meetups before heading out into summer nights.

Typical locations include forest edges, nature reserves, and remote rest areas along highways, Petersen said. Beaches and dune areas after dark have also become particularly popular in the warm weather. Accessibility by car or bicycle is essential, along with some vegetation for discretion and to avoid offending passersby.

Outdoor sex is legal in Denmark, provided it does not disturb others or involve indecent exposure likely to cause public offense, according to the Nature Agency. Leaving waste is prohibited, and offensive or harassing behavior may fall under Section 232 of the Penal Code, the Agency for Green Space Planning and Water Environment notes.

No official figures exist on the practice’s prevalence, as participants do not register. Sexologist and couples therapist Kimi Sand compared its popularity to that of swingers clubs, some of which have introduced waiting lists due to high demand in recent years.

Sand said dogging occurs nationwide, with some beaches designated for naturists—where people bathe and sunbathe nude—also hosting areas where some choose to have sex. She advised those seeking or wishing to avoid such encounters to be particularly observant, especially at rest stops.