Researchers gather in Kelowna to talk sex

KELOWNA – An annual conference that brings researchers from across the country will be in Kelowna this weekend for a three day exploration of a topic many still find taboo.

The Canadian Sex Research Forum has been held in different cities across Canada for the last 42 years. Topics have changed a great deal over the years, but fundamentally it is still about trying to understand how sex affects our lives.

Jocelyn Wentland is not only one of the organizers of the event, she is also a Ph.D. and one of the speakers. Her research interests include modern sexual relationships, highly sexual women, erotic photography, and how technology is changing dating and sex.

“I think people would be surprised how many researchers are looking at this topic,” she says.

Roughly 115 researchers, clinicians, students and faculty are scheduled to present recent findings, many of which are still being studied. The forum is not open to the public, but the research that is shared affects everyone.

“All of this stuff is very new,” she says. “People are presenting things that haven’t necessarily been published. It’s kind of cutting edge research.”

Wentland intends to present a recent survey that found approximately the same number of people using daing apps like Tinder are looking for more than just a one-night stand as the percentage of people using more traditional dating methods. Tinder users however, are 15 per cent less likely to start a relationship with someone they met online than those who meet through friends, work colleagues and other methods.

The forum runs from Friday, Oct. 2, until Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Delta Grand Resort in Kelowna.

For a list of topics that will be discussed, visit the CSRF website.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.