You only have to take a quick look at a Dogging Forum to see how many people are actively out there dogging, or at least curious enough to want to learn more. Some wonder what all this dogging is about, and if there are any 'rules' of dogging they should know about. Well, here goes. We're going to try to explain it as far as we know as we've not got much experience in these matters. Any other more knowledgeable doggers please do contact us to change or add to any of the following. Usually you have a situation where couples are in or around their cars, having fun for all the voyeurs who've turned up to see. Sometimes these voyeurs are asked to join in. Only join in or move closer if you are asked, or if you see the interior lights of the car flashing (a signal to move closer as the couple want voyeurs to watch or perhaps even join in).

Before going to a dogging location make sure you:-

• Go prepared for safe sex
• Use our Forum or dogging photo ads section to arrange a meet to make sure plenty turn up!
• Ascertain that particular spot is for you - is it mainly couples to watch or is it some gay action you're after?
• Most of all, make sure everyone is happy and having fun.

On a legal note, please be aware that you have to be careful. This is the current situation in the UK as far as we know:-
"There are laws that protect members of the public from being unwilling witnesses to sexual behaviour or from being harassed or intimidated in their use of public spaces or facilities. So sex in public toilets, parks or places where other passers-by may be offended is illegal."

Dogging is a predominantly British activity that involves outdoor exhibitionism in car-parks, wooded areas and the like. The term dogging originated in the early Seventies to describe men who spied on couples having sex outdoors. These men would 'dog' the couples' every move in an effort to watch them. When the swinging scene discovered that open-air sex has its own special thrill they began meeting in car-parks, and the doggers found a new and rich supply of voyeuristic fun. Moreover, the doggers soon realised that these couples were actively encouraging them to watch, even performing for them, and sometimes allowing them to join in.

You should check out our directory of UK dogging locations buy clicking the link above or using the dogging locations search tool below to find the most convenient dogging location for you in your area. Also, if you know of one in your area not listed there then tell us and we'll add it.

Also see our section on dogging rules to find out about the etiquette of dogging and the best ways to enjoy it safely and legally.
Dear Sentencing and Offences Unit,

The Sexual Freedom Coalition has discussed your document Protecting the Public and have the following comments:
David Blunkett's Forward, paragraph 6 refers to

... access to degrading material being easily available...

We presume he is refering to pornography, especially on the Internet. Many people enjoy pornography and do not find it degrading. Some use it as their only sexual outlet. Statements such as this only serve to make members of the public guilty about using pornography for masturbation. Guilt leads to repression which itself leads to sex crimes. The recent expos� of Roman Catholic priests involved in paedophilia is a prime example. In other words, Mr Blunkett's own language can be responsible for the very crimes which you aim to stop.

• Item 15 Lots of people enjoy sex in the open air and it should never become illegal to have sex in a public place, otherwise you are discriminating against people who have small gardens or no garden at all. Homophobic people who complain they are offended by seeing gay sex should learn to look away rather than spoil their fun. Otherwise they should be prosecuted for discriminating against homosexuality, rather than the gay frollickers being prosecuted for enjoying themselves.
• Item 72 The SFC believes that the laws surrounding prostitution should be abolished so that prostitutes can run their businesses like other citizens, and the trade will not attract the criminal element.
• Item 74 Sex Workers do not need policing. They should be able to count on police protection as much as anybody else (or more than anybody else, since they are more vulnerable than anybody else -- look at violence and murder statistics).
• Item 75 end of paragraph says "prevent it happening". Does this mean you think you are going to put an end to the world's oldest profession through local projects? Kindly accept the fact that many prostitutes enjoy their work and trying to put an end to their line of business is discriminatory.
• Item 77 This would making dogging illegal. Dogging is a popular, ancient tradition of anonymous sexual fun, with exhibitionists performing to voyeurs in car parks, woods, sand dunes, etc. It would also criminalise the gay equivants.

It could also make it illegal to shag or have oral sex in a nightclub which was not a private / members-only club. Most people have probably done this, or at least got close at some time in their lives. Gay clubs would go broke if they forbade sex, and it.s difficult to run a swing club if you don.t allow your guests the chance to sample each other. So we think you should be extremely careful with your wording, defining what you mean by public, and preferably leave public sex out of this new legislation altogether.
Your document speaks about education on several occasions. The SFC feels this is more important than having new legislation. However, we feel that if the educators had the same attitude to sex as is contained in your document, such education would be counterproductive. For one thing, the people you are trying to educate would laugh. You cannot educate people if they do not respect you.

You speak of helping people live outside fear of sexual crime, but unless people are educated so they have the confidence talk about sex as it is, in its raw and often fantastical forms, sex crimes will always be shrouded in secrecy and justice will never be done.

Yours sincerely,
Dr Tuppy Owens
of behalf of the Sexual Freedom Coalition