Do Women Like Cunnilingus? [2024 Statistics On Oral Sex]

Ever been curious about it? This type of oral sex may be common but do women like cunnilingus? We’ve gathered exciting facts on this hot topic just for you!

Oral sex performed on a woman is known as cunnilingus but is often referred to colloquially as “eating a girl out,” “going down,” or “giving head.”

It’s one of the most common forms of sex, other than penetrative sex, and for good reason. Most women love receiving oral because of the clitoral stimulation – making it a great way to give a gal an orgasm.

Giving a decent cunnilingus is probably hard for newbies, it won’t be hard anymore if you finish the Cunnilingus course from Beducated!

In this article, we’ve put together a list of the most important cunnilingus facts.

Top Cunnilingus Statistics You Should Know:

90.9% of women (9 out of 10) enjoy having a partner that goes down on them.
51.8% of women had an orgasm during their last experience receiving oral sex (cunnilingus).
52% of men said that giving oral sex was very pleasurable vs. just 28% of women.
1 in 10 women (10.3%) likes to receive oral sex on their period.
Women want their cunnilingus sessions to last for 19 minutes and 40 seconds on average.
92% of women enjoy when their partner uses their fingers on/in their vagina when receiving oral sex.
Many say cunnilingus is highly intimate and even more intimate than sexual intercourse.
Only 52% of men go down and give cunnilingus to women.

Table of Contents

Do Women Really Like Cunnilingus?

It may come as no surprise, but studies have shown that women do, in fact, enjoy being eaten out:

90.9% of women (9 out of 10) enjoy having a partner that goes down on them. (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
69% of women reported that receiving oral sex “was very pleasurable.” (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2016)²

How Many Women Have Engaged in Cunnilingus?

Most women enjoy it, so oral sex is pretty common:

67% or approximately two-thirds of women have had cunnilingus at some point in their lives. (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³
In another study, only 40% of women reported receiving cunnilingus from their partners. (Bustle, 2018)⁴
The average age of people who had engaged in cunnilingus was 19.27 years. (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³

How Often Do Women Engage in Cunnilingus?

Of those who are given cunnilingus, here’s how often they do it:

Women received cunnilingus 6.46 times in the past three months on average. (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³
Women had 3.74 lifetime cunnilingus partners on average. (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³

Can Women Achieve Orgasm or Ejaculation in Cunnilingus?

Many say that oral sex is one of the best ways to get a woman to come. Here’s what the stats say:

51.8% of women had an orgasm during their last experience receiving oral sex (cunnilingus). (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
78.1% of women had an orgasm at least once during any previous oral sex (cunnilingus) experience. (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
14% (1 in 7 women) experienced squirting during their most recent experience receiving oral sex (cunnilingus). (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
31.1% of women squirted at least once during a previous experience receiving oral sex (cunnilingus). (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
53% reported being able to orgasm because of cunnilingus. (Bustle, 2018)⁴

Cunnilingus vs. Fellatio (a.k.a. Blow Jobs)

Do women give more head than men? How often, and what are the differences in enjoyment? Here’s what we found:

98.9% had also engaged in fellatio (also known as blow jobs).
- (Of the 280 women with cunnilingus experience surveyed, 277 said they had)
- 2.6% had performed fellatio but never received cunnilingus.
  (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³
48.7% of women engaged in both fellatio and cunnilingus when they were in a relationship.
- 37.4% involved fellatio but not cunnilingus.
- 13.9% involved cunnilingus but no incidents of fellatio.
  (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³

How people perceived and rated oral sex types for themselves and their partners:
- This section is based on a scale of -10 to +10, with -10 indicating an intense sense of sexual repulsion and +10 indicating an intense sense of sexual desire, wanting, or pleasure, and 0 indicating a neutral position—neither desire nor repulsion.

- Cunnilingus
  - Self
    (How much sexual desire, wanting, and pleasure for their sexual partner while they are receiving cunnilingus)
    - Desire: +7.31
    - Wanting: +6.65
    - Pleasure: +7.04
  - Partner
    (Women’s perceived sexual desire, wanting, and pleasure of their sexual partner for them while receiving cunnilingus)
    - Desire: +8.03
    - Wanting: +5.08
    - Pleasure: +4.43
- Fellatio
  - Self
    (How much sexual desire, wanting, and pleasure for their sexual partner while performing fellatio)
    - Desire: +4.29
    - Wanting: +4.42
    - Pleasure: +3.20
  - Partner
    (Women’s perceived sexual desire, wanting, and pleasure of their sexual partner for them while performing fellatio)
    - Desire: +9.18
    - Wanting: +9.56
    - Pleasure: +9.48
      (The Journal of Sex Research, 2010)³
52% of men said that giving oral sex was very pleasurable vs. just 28% of women.
Men enjoy giving cunnilingus more than women giving fellatio. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2016)²
63% of men reported receiving oral sex, and just 44% of women said they did.
More men are receiving fellatio than women receiving cunnilingus (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2016)²
Differences in pleasure experienced when giving and receiving oral sex by gender:
This scale uses a 4-point format (1 = not at all pleasurable and 4 = very pleasurable).

- Giving Oral sex
  - Men
    Men performing cunnilingus on women
    - Very pleasurable: 52.3%
    - Somewhat pleasurable: 40.6%
    - Not very pleasurable: 5.6%
    - Not at all pleasurable: 1.5%
  - Women
    Women performing fellatio on men
    - Very pleasurable: 28.1%
    - Somewhat pleasurable: 54.6%
    - Not very pleasurable: 14.2%
    - Not at all pleasurable: 3.0%
- Receiving Oral sex
  - Men
    Men on the receiving end of fellatio
    - Very pleasurable: 73.0%
    - Somewhat pleasurable: 24.1%
    - Not very pleasurable: 2.5%
    - Not at all pleasurable: 0.4%
  - Women
    Women on the receiving end of cunnilingus
    - Very pleasurable: 68.9%
    - Somewhat pleasurable: 26.5%
    - Not very pleasurable: 4.1%
    - Not at all pleasurable: 0.5%
      (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2016)²

Cunnilingus During Partner’s Menstruation

Do people eat women out when they’re on their period? It turns out that many do! Here are the stats:

Slang for cunnilingus performed during menstruation is often referred to as “to earn one’s red wings.” (North Carolina Reports, 1981)⁵
1 in 10 women (10.3%) likes to receive oral sex on their period. (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
Of those who had sex with a woman in the past 6 months, here’s how many gave oral on a woman’s period:
- Gave oral sex to a menstruating woman
  - Yes: 38.4% (133 women)
  - Yes, but always with a dental dam: 0% (0 women)
  - Yes, but always with a tampon: 14.5% (50 women)
  - No: 46.8% (162 women)
  - No answer: 0.3% (1 woman)
  - Total: 346 women (100%)
- Received oral sex while menstruating
  - Yes: 37.6% (130 women)
  - Yes, but always with a dental dam: 0% (0 women)
  - Yes, but always with a tampon: 14.7% (51 women)
  - No: 47.4% (164 women)
  - No answer: 0.3% (1 woman)
  - Total: 346 women (100%)
    (Sexual Health, 2010)⁶
Women are discerning regarding cunnilingus during menstruation.
- 76% gave, and 74% received cunnilingus in general, whereas only 21.6% gave or received it during menstruation out of 381 self-identified lesbians. (Sexual Health, 2010)⁶

Most Important Factors in Cunnilingus

What makes oral sex do the trick for women? Here’s what the stats say:

One-third of women explicitly stated that sexual reciprocity was important in committed relationships.
- That means that both partners should be willing to perform oral sex if their partner wants. (The Journal of Sex Research, 2011)⁷
Only 30% of women felt comfortable telling their partner what they want and need to fully enjoy themselves sexually. (Bustle, 2018)⁴
Top factors for enjoying oral sex (cunnilingus):
- “How my partner made me feel mentally/emotionally”: 24%
- “I had an orgasm“: 21.5%
- “The techniques my partner used”: 19.8%
- “My partner was enthusiastic”: 16.6%
- “My physical attraction to my partner”: 12.8%
- “Other“: 4.6%
- “The location”: 0.6%
  (Bad Girls Bible, 2021 – Note: these are estimates based on the graph.)¹

Women Will Enjoy Cunnilingus More When…

In order to please a woman when going down on her, check out these stats:

The session is longer
- Women want their cunnilingus sessions to last for 19 minutes and 40 seconds on average. (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
Their partner uses their finger
- 92% of women enjoy when their partner uses their fingers on/in their vagina when receiving oral sex. (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
They do their partner’s favorite position
- Women’s favorite cunnilingus positions:
  - Lying down on their back: 67.3%
  - Sitting on my partner’s face: 10.7%
  - 69: 8.9%
  - On my hands and knees: 4.3%
  - Other: 4.3%
    - Other responses included:
      - Any position where I feel like my vagina is not a spectacle.
      - At the top of the stairs on my back with my legs raised and feet resting on the handrails.
      - All of the above.
      - It’s a tie between sitting on his face and laying down.
      - Laying down on my back with a pillow under my bottom and knees to my chest.
  - Sitting down: 2.9%
  - Standing: 1.6%
    (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹

Does Facial Hair Matter in Cunnilingus?

Is facial hair a benefit or a downside to giving oral sex? Here’s what women said:

Facial hair preference of the oral sex giver:
- “It doesn’t matter”: 52.3%
- “I prefer a partner to be clean shaved”: 26.5%
- “I prefer a partner to have a beard”: 10.7%
- “I prefer a partner to have stubble”: 10.5%
  (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)¹
Women’s thoughts on the pleasure or pain of facial hair during cunnilingus:
Note: Some women cited different multiple thoughts.
- Facial hair enhances the experience
  - 4 women said that the facial hair on a man enhances the sexual experience of cunnilingus.
  - They said they want the occasional tickle and stubble prickles to increase their sensation to make them reach orgasm faster.
- Facial hair makes no difference
  - 3 women said facial hair makes no difference when it comes to cunnilingus, whether it is a full beard or scruff.
  - One person said that the partner’s cunnilingus skills were more noticeable in her experience than the existence of facial hair did.
- Facial hair negative affects the experience
  - 2 women say that men’s facial hair can be painful if they’re not careful. They say that it depended on the stimulation and pressure of the stubble. Too heavy of a beard can negatively affect the sexual experience.
    (Women’s Health Mag, 2015)⁸

Overall it doesn’t seem to make too much of a difference, but some women have a preference, so be sure to ask!

Why Do Some Women Not Like Cunnilingus?

Many women do enjoy oral sex, but some don’t. Or they might enjoy it overall but have a negative experience due to their partner or the

Many say cunnilingus is highly intimate and even more intimate than sexual intercourse.
- Relationship context matters for those receiving cunnilingus.
- 35% of women said hookups were not appealing for receiving cunnilingus.
- These women preferred to be in a serious relationship when receiving oral sex.
- Several refused to engage in giving or receiving oral sex in casual relationships and one-night stands.
  (The Journal of Sex Research, 2011)⁷
28% used adjectives such as weird, bizarre, dirty, and nasty to describe oral sex or cunnilingus. (The Journal of Sex Research, 2011)⁷
79.4% have had at least one unsatisfying or unenjoyable experience receiving oral sex. (Bad Girls Bible, 2021)⁷
Common reasons for unenjoyable oral sex (cunnilingus):
- “My partner had bad technique”: 55.9%
- “I didn’t orgasm”: 47.7%
- “I felt uncomfortable/couldn’t fully relax”: 47.7%
- “My partner was unenthusiastic”: 27.5%
- “I was worried about my vaginal hygiene”: 24.9%
- “Experience ending too quickly”: 17.1%
- “It lasted too long”: 14.5%
- “I wasn’t attracted to my partner”: 12.5%
- “I was forced/pressured into it”: 6.5%
- “Other“: 5.83%
- “The location made it unenjoyable”: 5.02%
  (Bad Girls Bible, 2021. Estimation based on the graph as there are no exact values shown.)⁷
59% of men said they didn’t know what their partner likes when it comes to giving cunnilingus. (Bustle, 2018)⁴
Key reasons why women dislike receiving oral sex:
- Self-conscious
  - Some women are self-conscious about their scent and/or taste and may prevent their partner from giving.
  - Some people are also self-conscious about their poor genital self-image.
- Afraid of communication
  - Some are afraid to tell their partner that they are not doing it right. As a result, some would decline to receive oral sex even if they wanted it.
- Past Sexual trauma
  - Past trauma can produce a triggering event when receiving oral sex.
- Unpleasant sensation
  - Some do not like the sensation they are receiving when receiving oral sex. Too much stimulation can cause an unpleasant sensation.
- Intimacy issues
  - Oral sex can be viewed as too intimate, or they may have intimacy issues with their partner. (Psychology Today, 2022)⁹

Why Are Some Men Reluctant to Perform Cunnilingus?

Likewise, some men don’t enjoy giving oral sex to women, don’t know how, or just don’t realize they want it!

Only 52% of men go down and give cunnilingus to women. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2016)²
Reasons why men don’t like to perform oral sex:
- Taste or smell
  - Both men and women claim that the taste, smell, and/or texture of the partner’s genitals is the reason why they don’t engage in oral sex.
- Not wanting bodily secretions in their mouth
  - Some have a level of disgust triggered when thinking about secretions in their mouth, which prevents them from giving oral sex.
- Sexual trauma from past events
  - Oral sex can produce a triggering event for those who have past experiences with sexual trauma.
- Low self-esteem
  - Some are concerned that they might not be capable of performing oral sex well or will be bad at it, and try to avoid cunnilingus so they won’t be embarrassed.
- Selfishness
  - Those with no intention of returning the favor to their partner and may only be interested in having their own orgasm but not taking part in their partner’s orgasm.
- Too intimate
  - Oral sex can be viewed as too intimate for others.
- Oral sex is morally wrong
  - Some people may have adopted the position that oral sex is morally wrong and stigmatized. (Psychology Today, 2022)⁹

Conclusion

Cunnilingus can be a great way to give your partner an orgasm, and many women seem to enjoy it – and enjoy it frequently! Some even say that the only way they can come is from oral sex, which explains their levels of enthusiasm.

If you really want to know how to give a cunnilingus, check out the Cunnilingus course from Beducated! Check out our Beducated review, as we highlight the great parts of their courses!

Footnotes

Bad Girls Bible, 2021. A survey of 1,058 women respondents.
The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2016. A study of 899 Canadian university students.
The Journal of Sex Research, 2010. A study of a total of 457 American respondents from two studies.
Bustle, 2018. A survey of 1,000 heterosexual people between 21-45 years old. Note: Cunni’s original source link of the survey could not be found. Even their website is not working. The website might be terminated.
North Carolina Reports, 1981. A book on the cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of North Carolina.
Sexual Health, 2010. A study on 543 Australian women respondents. Cited in this study – Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, 1997. A study of 421 Americans in eastern Massachusetts.
The Journal of Sex Research, 2011. A study of 43 American college women who were, on average, 21 years old.
Women’s Health Mag, 2015. An article on women getting oral sex from guys with facial hair.
Psychology Today, 2022. An article on why some people don’t enjoy oral sex.