The Best Sex (Survey) Ever!
The Basics
How satisfied are you with your sex life?
30% Very satisfied
33% Satisfied
15% Neutral
17% Dissatisfied
5% Very dissatisfied
* 63 percent have a good sex life!
If you're not satisfied, why?
38% Our busy schedule
62% Sexual inhibitions/dysfunction
50% Stress
38% Kids
15% Marriage troubles
13% Illness (me or spouse)
* Our sexual relationships are heavily influenced by other relationships. Only 20 percent of our readers with children living at home are "very satisfied" with their sex life, compared to 42 percent of those with no children, and 45 percent of those with kids living away from home.
How often do you have sex?
5% Once a day
33% 2 or more times a week
18% Once a week
21% 2-3 times a month
9% Once a month
7% A few times a year
7% Sex? What's that?
How satisfied are you with that frequency?
19% Very satisfied
36% Satisfied
20% Neutral
20% Dissatisfied
5% Very dissatisfied
How satisfied is your spouse with that frequency?
16% Very satisfied
38% Satisfied
17% Neutral
22% Dissatisfied
7% Very dissatisfied
If you could change it?
58% Make it more frequent!
40% Don't change it
2% Less frequent
* A higher frequency of good sex seems to be good for us.
"More frequent sex in the relationship and more frequent orgasm for the female partner strongly increase emotional satisfaction and physical pleasure."—Edward O. Laumann and Robert T. Michael, authors of Sex, Love, and Health in America
Sex Talk
How often do you and your spouse talk together about sex?
48% More than once a month
14% Once a month
25% A few times a year
7% Once a year
6% Never
* When we talk about sex with our spouse, our chances for marital satisfaction improve.
Fifty-eight percent of readers who are "very satisfied" with their marriage talk with their spouse about sex more than once a month.
Seventy-one percent of readers who are "very satisfied" with their sex life talk with their spouse about sex more than once a month.
On the Wild Side
Do you and your spouse have oral sex?
5% Did once
38% Did more than once
40% Do regularly
17% Have not done at all
Do you and your spouse have anal sex?
11% Did once
11% Did more than once
1% Do regularly
77% Have not done at all
Do you and your spouse use pornography?
10% Did once
15% Did more than once
1% Do regularly
74% Have not done at all
Do you and your spouse use sex "toys"?
5% Did once
10% Did more than once
8% Do regularly
77% Have not done at all
* MP doesn't condone these activities but seeks to reflect readers' lives.
"The Bible explicitly calls some practices wrong. But some churches propagate false guilt about practices the Bible is neutral on: masturbation within the couple's lovemaking, oral sex, sex with the lights on. False guilt has no basis in biblical fact, perpetuates shame, and damages the marriage for years."—Shay Roop, author of For Women Only: God's Design for Female Sexuality and Intimacy
Really Personal Info
How satisfied are you in your marriage?
57% Very satisfied
28% Satisfied
9% Neutral
4% Dissatisfied
2% Very dissatisfied
* Eighty-five percent of you like your marriage!
How often do you and your spouse argue about sex?
5% More than once a month
7% Once a month
29% A few times a year
14% Once a year
45% Never
Ever done anything sexually that made you feel guilty or ashamed?
20% Yes
80% No
If yes, how did you handle the guilt?
67% Prayed about it
31% Sought biblical answers
16% Sought counseling
58% Stopped the practice
67% Talked with my spouse
2% Have done nothing about it
Cindy Crosby, an MP regular contributor, is author of By Willoway Brook: Exploring the Landscape of Prayer (Paraclete Press).
Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today/Marriage Partnership magazine. Click here for reprint information on Marriage Partnership.
Read more articles that highlight writing by Christian women at ChristianityToday.com/Women
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