The word ‘fetish’ conjures up all kinds of images in people’s minds - from the very tame to the very extreme. But have you ever wondered what fetishes are the most common? Read on to find out what some kiwis are getting up to behind closed doors.

Foot Fetish

In 2007 Researchers from the University of Bologna, in Italy, found that foot fetishism is the most common fetish of all. And apparently there are lots of footy aspects that can be fixated upon! While some people will be content just seeing a lovely foot or giving it a traditional massage, others may crave a footjob (like a handjob, but with feet), yearn to lick and suck the toes, or be turned on by smelling the foot’s aroma.

High-heels & Knee-high Boots

The second most common fetish continues on with the foot theme. But in this case it is the effect of high heel shoes on a woman’s body that pushes the fetishist’s buttons; because wearing high heels naturally accentuates a woman’s legs and emphasises her bust and bottom. Furthermore, the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud had a theory about why some fetishists are fixated on shoes (and feet) – he proposed that a foot represents the penis and a shoe the vagina. So to a high-heel fetishist, watching a woman put on her shoes is like watching pornography!

Piercings

Piercing fetishes are third on the list. Anything from pierced ears, eyebrows, noses and bellybuttons to tongues, nipples, penises and clitorises can be attractive for piercing fetishists. It could simply be the look of the piercing on a partner that is desired or the feeling of the cool metallic object rubbing against their skin that turns them on.

Leather, Latex and Rubber

These ‘material’ fetishes are about the sensation on the skin, the look on the body and the smell. So seeing, smelling or feeling these materials can arouse a desire for sex in fetishists. While most people can understand this when it relates to an attractive lady strutting around in a tight, shiny latex outfit, it is not so easy to get your head around when it’s a leather car seat having the same effect!

Hand Fetish

There are some women that love to suck on a man’s finger as if it were a penis – and apparently some can orgasm from that alone! But the sexual attraction doesn’t just have to be focused on the fingers; it could be the palm or nails that are the object of the fetishist’s affection. Or, on the other ‘hand’ the attraction could be toward a specific act performed by the hands; which wouldn’t be considered sexual to most - such as washing or drying dishes.

So now you know what the most common fetishes are. In most cases, these fetishes are harmless – a fetish only becomes a problem if it is illegal or interferes with a person’s relationship or everyday life - so for all the high-heel fetishists out there, stealing a ladies shoe is a definite no no!