Voyeurism is nothing new.

The concept of livestreaming yourself having sex whilst an audience of strangers watch, however, is.

And that’s exactly what many couples use to get their kicks, whether they’re the ones putting on the show or the voyeurs watching along, often commenting as they go.

Chaturbate is one of the most popular webcam sites on the internet, and since its launch in 2011 has had a 3,200% increase in interest from users around the world. Viewers can watch for free or pay tips if they'd like to see certain sex acts performed.

One woman, Beth*, recently blogged about her first experience of streaming sex with her husband, having spent hours watching other people: “One night your partner turns to you and says, ‘I want to f*ck you with the whole world watching.’ So we did.”

It’s a bizarre world, where people build relationships with their viewers, often exchanging messages mid-act.

Most comments are respectful, but “every so often you find out which chatters are masturbating along,” reveals Beth.

A lot of the couples enjoy being told what to do, but there’s also a business angle to Chaturbate - the couples being watched can earn money by performing certain sex acts.

Some couples only oblige after they’ve been paid, but Beth and her husband weren’t fussed about making money their first time.

“We decided to just have fun on camera, doing exactly what we wanted to do,” she explains. “This means we gave away a lot for free our first night, making only $8 (£6) the whole night.” Beth drew in an audience of 380 people, but she thinks the top ‘cammers’ earn thousands of pounds a night.

Beth believes there’s something liberating about getting naked on camera and after doing it once, was keen to do it again: “We walked away more in love with each other for going on this adventure together, with the confidence of compliments from the strangers watching us, and the thrill of being exhibitionists that made us go back for more the next night. And then the next night.”

And with more people speaking out, it's a trend that seems only likely to grow.