Global Sex Survey 2000
A quarter of people globally learn about sex from friends, which is more than twice as many as those receiving sex education from their mother (12%) and significantly more than those learning at school (15%).
This year the Durex Global Sex Survey includes data from all the world’s main geographical areas to give a truly global picture of sexual attitudes and behaviour among people aged 16-55.
A quarter of the global population learns about sex from friends which is more than twice as many as those receiving sex education from their mother (12%) and significantly more than those learning at school (15%).
Although the younger generation are more likely than older people to receive information from such responsible sources as their mothers or school, they are still having sex at a younger age. While the average age across all respondents for losing virginity is 18.1, those aged between 16 and 20 were just 16 when they had sex for the first time.
But they are more likely to use contraception than older generations. Just 8% admit they do not use contraception, compared with almost a quarter (24%) of those aged 45 and over. More than six in 10 (61%) 16-20 year olds use condoms to protect themselves from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Globally, people are having sex on average 96 times a year although men claim to make love more often than women with 103 sessions a year, compared to 88. And it’s the 25-34 year olds having the most sex - 113 times, well above the overall average.
More than half of respondents (58%) have changed their behaviour through concern about contracting HIV/AIDS, with most choosing to have only one sexual partner (28%). However, this still leaves the global average for number of sexual partners at 8.2.
SEXUAL EDUCATION
Finding out sources of sex education
However, this is changing with the generations. Both mother and school are more popular with 16-20 year olds than with any other age group, showing the change in the way sex education is approached.
Books, leaflets and magazines are also popular sources of information with 16% of people turning to them for advice.
Friends are the most popular source of information for men and women, although men are more reliant on their peers. While 30% turn to their fellow man for advice, just one in five women look to their friends for information.
However, few people are turning to health professionals for their sex education just 5% although this source is more popular in China, Hong Kong, Mexico and Thailand.
Learning from mother is most popular in Holland (32%), USA (22%) and Hungary (20%), while in Japan (38%), Australia and New Zealand (both 34%) most information comes from school.
Books, leaflets and magazines are the main source of sex education in Hong Kong (38%) and China (30%), while people in Malaysia (44%), Italy (41%) and Spain (41%) learn most from friends.
In India three in 10 learn most from the cinema and media, which is significantly higher than the global average of 6%.
Few people are relying on their sexual partners for information. However, in France a significant 27% look to their partner well above the global average of one in 10.
SEXUAL INITIATION
Getting started
The average age for first time sex is 18.1 although there is a wide variation in different countries in the age at which people are losing their virginity.
Men are having sex earlier than women at an average age of 17.5 compared to 18.6.
Young people are having sex for the first time earlier than the older generations. While 16-20 year olds are losing their virginity at 16, the 25-34 year olds were 18 and the over 45s were an average age of 18.9.
However, 19% of all sexually active adults admit they were under 16 when they first had sex.
The Americans are losing their virginity at a younger age than people in any other country (16.4), followed by the Brazilians (16.5) and the French (16.8).
People in China are the oldest at 21.9 followed by those in Taiwan (21.4), India (20.8) and Malaysia (20.5).
In Brazil, more than four in 10 people (42%) said they lost their virginity before the age of 16, slightly more than the USA (40%), compared with just 1% in China and Taiwan.
SEXUAL LIFESTYLE
Number of partners
The average number of sexual partners of people around the world is 8.2.
More than a quarter (27%) have had only one partner, compared with 22% who have had sex with 10 or more people.
Men claim to have had more partners than women – 11.7 compared with 4.6. And just 16% of men have had sex with only one person, compared with 38% of women.
While the over 45s have had 9.6 partners and the 25-34 year olds have had sex with eight, the 16-20 year olds have already averaged 5.1 partners.
Almost four in 10 married people (38%) have had only one partner, compared with 19% of single people, 12% of couples living together and one in 10 of those separated, widowed or divorced.
The French claim to have had an average of 16.7 partners, followed by the Greeks (15) and the Brazilians (12.5).
In India, 82% of people have had just one sexual partner, followed by China (60%) and Taiwan (52%).
Changing sexual lifestyles in the shadow of HIV/AIDS
More than half (58%) the global population have changed their sexual behaviour through concern about contracting HIV/AIDS.
Men are most likely to have altered their behaviour – 62% compared with 55% for women.
However, it’s the over 45s who are the least likely to have made changes – half say they have not altered their behaviour.
Most of those people who have changed their behaviour have done so by only having sex with one partner, followed by being more careful about the type of partner they choose.
The South Africans have made the most significant changes with almost nine in 10 (86%) claiming to have altered their behaviour, followed by the Americans (74%), the Thais and Nigerians (both 73%) and the Russians (70%).
The Japanese are the least likely to have made changes with just 28% altering their behaviour, followed by the Poles (41%), the Spanish and Hungarians (both 42%) and the Australians and Malaysians (both 43%).
How often are people having sex?
On average, people globally are having sex 96 times a year. Men claim to be more sexually active than women, making love 103 times a year, compared to 88.
It’s the 25-34 year olds who are having the most sex with an average 113 times, compared with 16-20 year olds (89). The over 45s are well below the global average at just 67 times a year.
More than half the respondents (57%) are having sex at least once a week, while just 4% claim to make love every day.
Couples living together are the most sexually active with 146 sessions a year, while married people are making love 98 times. Single people not in a relationship are having the least sex at 49 times a year.
The Americans claim to be enjoying the most sex at 132 times a year followed by the Russians (122), the French (121) and the Greeks (115).
Japan has the lowest frequency of sex at 37 times a year, followed by Malaysia (62) and China (69).
Contraception... what do people use?
The condom is the most popular form of contraception globally with more than four in 10 (41%) choosing it ahead of any other form of protection.
It is most popular among the younger generations 61% of 16-20 year olds and just over half (52%) of 21-24 year olds choose condoms.
Almost a fifth of people globally (19%) are using the pill as their main form of contraception.
Thirteen per cent of the global population use no contraception at all and 8% use natural methods.
The 16-20 year olds are most likely to heed the safer sex message with just 8% admitting they do not use contraception, compared with almost a quarter (24%) of those aged 45 and over.
The condom is most popular in Japan (74%), Hong Kong (65%), Greece (64%) and Taiwan (59%).
The pill is most favoured in Germany (48%), Holland (41%) and Hungary (37%).
In Israel, a third of people do not use any contraception, followed by Nigeria and the Czech Republic (both 26%), and Russia (21%).
Who’s the world’s sexiest woman?
Globally, men believe the sexiest female celebrities are Madonna and Jennifer Lopez 12% voted for the American pop stars turned actresses.
Model Cindy Crawford and Ghost star Demi Moore (both 11%) are pushed into joint second place, followed by Pretty Woman’s Julia Roberts (8%).
Titanic star Kate Winslet and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell are the least sexy females with just 2% of the vote, followed by German tennis ace Steffi Graf (3%).
However, opinions change with age and marital status. Jennifer Lopez is the favourite celebrity of the 16-24 year olds and those who are single.
The older generations and married men are divided between Madonna and Demi Moore.
Opinions also vary between countries. While men in Hong Kong think Nicole Kidman is the most sexy, those in Brazil and Mexico opt for Demi Moore.
Australians consider teen tennis star Anna Kournikova sexier than any other celebrity, while the Taiwanese and Germans opt for Cindy Crawford and the Czechs and Hungarians choose model Claudia Schiffer.
Who’s the world’s sexiest man?
Globally, women believe Tom Cruise is the sexiest male celebrity – 17% voted for the Mission Impossible star.
Heartthrob actor Brad Pitt (12%) and Braveheart star Mel Gibson (11%) are pushed into second and third place.
Racing driver Michael Schumacher and opera singer Pavarotti are the least sexy males, with just 1% of the vote, followed by Brazilian footballer Ronaldo and Prince William.
However, opinions change with age and marital status. Mel Gibson and US film stars Michael Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger are more popular with married women and those over 25.
Those who are single, and women aged 16-24 find singer Ricky Martin, Titanic star Leonardo Di Caprio and Brad Pitt more sexy.
Opinions also vary between countries. While Russian women think Leonardo Di Caprio is the most sexy, those in Spain, Britain, France and Italy opt for former ER star George Clooney.
Australians consider Bond star Pierce Brosnan sexier than any other celebrity, while the Nigerians opt for pop star Will Smith and the Indians go for tennis ace Andre Agassi.
