The sex survey: Women want quality, men want quantity

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Our online sex survey, with more than 12,100 valid responses, gives us a glimpse into how people of all ages genders and and sexual orientations feel about their sex lives. To read the full results and analysis, see irishtimes.com/sexsurvey

The Irish Times sex survey: are you happy with your sex life?

Base: All participants. The number of survey participants in each category is shown in the centre of the donut chart. 

OverallVirgins*Sexually active (all)Female (sexually active)Female (heterosexual)Female (homosexual)*Female (bisexual)*Male (sexually active)Male (heterosexual)Male (homosexual)Male (bisexual)*Female 17 to 24 (sexually active)Female 25 to 34 (sexually active)Female 35 to 49 (sexually active)Female 50 to 64 (sexually active)Male 17 to 24 (sexually active)Male 25 to 34 (sexually active)Male 35 to 49 (sexually active)Male 50 to 64 (sexually active)

I am very dissatisfied

I am very dissatisfied

I am very happy34%

I am somewhat happy32%

I am somewhat dissatisfied17%

9%

I am neither happy nor unhappy

8%

I am very dissatisfied

Total:
12,134

The Irish Times sex survey: do you enjoy sex?

Base: all sexually active participants.The number of respondents in each category is in the centre of the donut chart.

Sexually active (all)Female (sexually active)Female (heterosexual)Female (homosexual)*Female (bisexual)*Male (sexually active)Male (heterosexual)Male (homosexual)Male (bisexual)*Female 17 to 24Female 25 to 34Female 35 to 49Female 50 to 64Male 17 to 24Male 25 to 34Male 35 to 49Male 50 to 64Male 65 plus

No, I never/rarely enjoy it

No, I never/rarely enjoy it

Yes, I really enjoy it59%

I enjoy it most of the time34%

6%

I could take it or leave it/neutral

No, not particularly (1%)

No, I never/rarely enjoy it (0%)

Total:
11,776

The Irish Times sex survey: most important element for intimacy?

All participantsSexually active (all)Female (sexually active)Female (heterosexual)Female (homosexual)*Female (bisexual)*Male (sexually active)Male (heterosexual)Male (homosexual)Male (bisexual)*Virgins*

other24%

Feeling desired22%

Trust22%

Good communication19%

Affection13%

Total:
12,134

Sex drives

How would you rate your sex drive? 

How survey participants of each gender/relationship status rated their sex drive compared to their partner's.
Base: all survey participants in relationships. 

Both sexes (all those in relationships)Female (all those in relationships)Female in a relationship of less than 6 months*Female in a relationship of  6 months - 1 year*Female in a relationship of 1-2 yearsFemale in a relationship of 2-7 yearsFemale in a relationship of 7-15 yearsFemale in a relationship of 15-30 yearsFemale in a relationship of 30+ years*Male (all those in relationships)Male in a relationship of less than 6 months*Male in a relationship of 6 months and a year*Male in a relationship of 1-2 years*Male in a relationship of 2-7 yearsMale in a relationship of 7-15 yearsMale in a relationship of 15-30 yearsMale in a relationship of 30+ years*

My sex drive is higher45%

About the same33%

My partner's sex drive is higher22%

Total:
9,552

The Irish Times sex survey: are you physically affectionate without having sex?

All participantsSexually active (all)Female (sexually active)Female (heterosexual)Female (homosexual)*Female (bisexual)*Male (sexually active)Male (heterosexual)Male (homosexual)Male (bisexual)*Virgins*

Yes90%

No10%

Total:
12,114

Seven-year itch

The Irish Times sex survey: are you monogamous?

Base: All those in a relationship who answered the question. 

All participantsSexually active (all)Female (sexually active)Female (heterosexual)Female (homosexual)*Female (bisexual)*Male (sexually active)Male (heterosexual)Male (homosexual)Male (bisexual)*

Ours is an open relationship

Ours is an open relationship

Yes91%

No7%

2%

Ours is an open relationship

Total:
9,645

The Irish Times sex survey was conducted on irishtimes.com over the course of a week in June 2015. A total of 12,639 participants completed the survey (a 71 per cent completion rate), with 12,134 responses used in the follow-up analysis. Over 500 responses were excluded, the vast majority because the participant was under the age of 17 (below the required age to take part) or where it was obvious that false information had been provided. Click here to view the full results, including interactive graphics.

The survey was carried out among self-selecting individuals. It is not a weighted survey and does not purport to be accurately representative of the wider population, biased as it is towards certain age groups (over two-thirds of those who took the survey were between the age of 24 and 50) and towards those who are more sexually active. Therefore all results should be seen as indicative rather than definitive.

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