Lots of people have public sex. It’s gay men who often pay the highest price.
Some gay men have public hookups. Even though there are apps, gay men are still out cruising for other men for anonymous sex in public places. A sheltered beach, under a boardwalk, a public restroom or somewhere off the track of a popular park. It happens.
In Toronto, there are still police stings, and gay men are still charged. Gay men have sex in public places because they are in the closet. Or because it’s a quick way to get off. Or it’s a way to express sexual identity. Or because it’s the thrill of not getting caught (or maybe getting caught by someone who will join in).
For whatever reasons, many gay men have a larger number of casual sexual partners. Sometimes that is in public. But public sex has its risks. From being arrested to HIV infection to, yes, being murdered, there is more risk than anyone bargained for. Here are some murder victims who were killed in public places where there was a sexual overtone: