BDSM, in all its varieties, has gone from activities on the edge of the sensual spectrum, a subculture that registered on the fringe of American consciousness, to a broader acknowledgement among U.S. adults. It just doesn’t seem unusual anymore. BDSM motifs frequently appear in our popular discourse, so frequently that it becomes natural to wonder exactly how many people participate in BDSM.

Contemporary sexologists estimate that roughly 15% of the population regularly engage in BDSM play. This covers a spectrum of BDSM activities ranging from hardcore domination to mild restraint and spanking play, as well as everything in between. Furthermore, researchers say that about 50% of the U.S. population, pretty much even split between men and women, experiment with some form of BDSM activity at some point during their sexually active years. That gives us 371,000 BDSM enthusiasts in this great nation of ours along with 1,045,000 other folks who enjoy a little BDSM spice occasionally.

There are some caveats to these figures, though. Sexual surveys attract respondents who are open about discussing sexuality frankly, omitting by default those who are more reserved toward discussing sensuality. Our figure of 371,000 BDSM regulars is very likely lowballing the actual number of BDSM aficionados. The percentages of BDSM participants as part of the larger figure can’t be simply cut and pasted to give an idea of the number of BDSM participants worldwide. Attitudes toward sexuality vary widely from region to region, so progressive parts of Europe would likely have higher percentages of BDSM practitioners, while other regions representing cultures that are more restrictive and reserved toward sexuality would have far fewer people who are into BDSM lifestyle.

In short, your mileage may vary.

Still, we’ve got a reasonably reliable baseline number for how many folks enjoy BDSM play, and it also serves as an indicator that Americans are gradually becoming more open to new sexual pleasures and experiences. BDSM is certainly here to stay, and it’s safe to assume that more and more people will discover its allure over the coming years.