A new study based on interviews with over 3,000 Americans reveals some startling statistics about American sex. The book debunks long-held myths about what happens during intercourse between men and women. The results may shock you – and it might even change your perceptions of sex! Let’s take a look. Here are some of the findings:
Approximately one in three Americans is without a partner. This figure has risen nearly ten percent from 1989 to 2018. While this increase is concerning, it’s important to remember that this decrease is not due to a lack of sex in America. In fact, the number of Americans without a partner has decreased nine percent since 1990. That’s a remarkably small number! The Great American Sex Drought is largely due to the increasing number of older people. The age of the most sex-deprived demographic has consistently hovered around 50 percent. But changes on the other end of the age spectrum are even more significant. Between 2008 and 2018, the percentage of Americans between 18 and 29 reporting no sex in a year nearly doubled.
Adult Americans are roughly divided into three groups: those who engage in sex twice a week, those who have it once or twice a month, and those who have it less frequently. About 35 percent of men and three percent of women reported having forced sex. About twenty percent of women and nine percent of men had an orgasm during their last encounter. A surprising number of men – twenty percent of men and 29 percent of women – reported having an orgasm during a sex encounter with a friend or acquaintance.
This change in behavior is also associated with the women’s movement and the media. While women’s movements were making it a point to end sexual immorality, they were still denying the human potential of young men. This attitude is part of the progress narrative, which supposedly expands democracy and makes it easier for people to have sex. And this is why a new study in American sex education challenges that old norms.
The ASHA’s founding members pushed for more open discussions about sexual health and the effects of venereal disease, even as violent wars broke out in Europe. Despite this change, many Americans still used the euphemism “social hygiene” to refer to sexual health. The ASHA’s founder, physician Prince Morrow, pushed for sex education in schools and broad educational campaigns to change attitudes about sex.
While American males tend to be “buttheads,” Europeans are generally more “buttheads.” However, European men, on average, have softer erections. Almost half of American males rate their erections as “4” on a scale of one to five. In contrast, European males are more likely to “showers” than Americans – 33.3 percent of respondents identify with the graphic illustrating this behavior.
Interestingly, married people are less likely to have sex than those living alone. This is a result of women living with their parents and men living with their parents. Young men live with their parents more than their married counterparts. And this makes it harder for them to bring their partners into the bedroom. Perhaps this change is also connected to a decrease in sexual activity. Only 39 percent of people have sex weekly, compared to 51 percent in 1996.
Despite these results, it is surprising that the age at which men and women first marry is now in their late twenties. This does not correspond with the widely held myth that sexual activity is a normal part of single life. Moreover, the study also revealed that marriage and sex are increasingly de-linked. While practicing Christians continue to view sex as a religious act, the majority of American men and women now see it as an experience of self-fulfillment.
Despite the rise of the sex industry, the American public is becoming more tolerant of sexual activity. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that “sex is an extension of human connection” and a source of emotional fulfillment. This trend is a significant concern. And while it is not yet the primary cause of teenage pregnancy, it is important to recognize the impact that sex has on the lives of adolescents and young adults.
While the average American reports sex once a week, the rate for married people is much higher. Married people report having sex an average of 1.2 times per week, while unmarried adults report only 0.6 times per week. Amongst cohabiting couples, 1.2 times a month is the norm. Similarly, 0.6 percent of single adults report having sex in a week.
