We had 4,898 respondents from all around the world – and now, the results are in
Last month, we launched the Dazed Sex Survey to find out all about your attitudes towards sex: whether you believe in love at first sight, your thoughts on dating apps, and if you’d have sex in the metaverse.
We had 4,898 respondents from all around the world, and now, the results are in. Here’s what we found.
SEXUALITY
We aren’t having loads of sex
32 per cent of us aren’t having sex at all at the moment. Only 3 per cent of us are having sex every day, and 13 per cent are doing it between three and five times a week. It’s not an age thing, either – 15 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds have sex between three and five times a week, the same frequency reported by 35 to 44 year olds.
In some ways, it’s unsurprising. We’re still grappling with a pandemic, a global mental health crisis, and climate change – meaning that getting laid is slipping further and further down our list of priorities. Plus, rents and house prices aren’t getting any cheaper, meaning many of us are still living in our parents’ homes – and nothing kills the mood like hearing your mum walking up the stairs.
Half of young people describe their sexuality as fluid
45 per cent of all respondents described their sexuality as fluid. This rose to 51 per cent among non-binary respondents. Meanwhile, 50 per cent of female respondents also described their sexuality as fluid, as did 35 per cent of male respondents. Younger people were more likely than other generations to describe their sexuality as fluid, with half of 18 to 24 year olds saying so – a stark contrast to just 30 per cent of 55 to 64 year olds.
LOVE
The majority of us would prefer to be in a relationship – and marry our partners
50 per cent of respondents say they enjoy being single but prefer being in a relationship. Only 21 per cent said they enjoyed being single and preferred being alone. On top of this, we’re still keen to tie the knot. According to our survey, 64 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds are currently not married but would like to get married in the future. It seems that in spite of the single positivity movement, deep down, most of us just want to love and be loved in return.
Monogamy is still popular, but less so among non-binary people
Only 19 per cent of respondents in total would prefer to be in an open relationship (where you have one partner who you’re committed to, but multiple sexual partners). 74 per cent of female and 63 per cent of male respondents expressed a preference for a monogamous relationship.
However, only 43 per cent of non-binary respondents said they would prefer a monogamous relationship. 27 percent said they’d prefer an open relationship, while 20 per cent said they would prefer a number of polyamorous relationships (where you’re in a relationship with multiple people simultaneously).
TECHNOLOGY
Nobody likes dating apps
It’ll come as a surprise to no one to learn that dating apps aren’t hugely popular. Just 20 per cent of respondents said they actively enjoyed using dating apps, while 71 per cent said they weren’t currently using apps at all. Given that we’re emerging from a pandemic which forced us all to communicate through our phones, it tracks that we’re fatigued with talking through screens. Now, we’re increasingly looking to forge connections in real life.
We’re curious about sex tech
40 per cent of respondents stated that technology was not an important part of their sex lives, with just 7 per cent stating it was a “very important” part. However, 35 per cent said they either have or would have sex in the metaverse or in a game, and 36 per cent said they have used or would use VR technology in their sex lives. 19 per cent said they’d have sex with a humanoid robot, while 6 per cent said they already have. Sex tech offers up exciting possibilities – especially to marginalised groups whose pleasure has never been prioritised – so it’s no surprise that many of us are curious about how it can improve our sex lives.
PORN AND SEX WORK
Young people are more open to selling their sex tapes
While 36 per cent of respondents would have sex on camera for fun, a further 11 per cent said they would only do it if they got paid. Young people are more open to having sex on camera for money, with 14 per cent of 16 to 17 year olds saying they would do so – a contrast to just 7 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds.
Additionally, 11 per cent have paid for sexual content, while 6 per cent have been paid. 6 per cent have paid for sex, while 5 per cent have been paid.
We think porn should be kinder to women and marginalised groups
71 per cent of respondents said they felt negative about the representation of women in porn, while 67 per cent felt negatively about the representation of marginalised communities in porn. Additionally, 10 of respondents said they would like to watch more porn, but can’t find any they like.
55 per cent of our respondents also think porn has had an impact on how they’ve been treated sexually. As anyone who’s watched hetero porn will know, it often depicts a man slamming into a woman like a jackhammer. And, as any woman who’s had sex with a man will know, this often isn’t the most pleasurable experience. Sure, when done right, rough sex can be mutually enjoyable – but our survey suggests that perhaps it’s time for providers to offer up porn which focuses a little more on female pleasure.