Sexual Attitudes - The Observer

Culture

Information on children's exposure to information about sex and the sexual experience and attitudes of the respondents.

 

160

  • Results are based on 1,790 British adults aged 16-64 years
  • Data are weighted to reflect the national population profile
  • Fieldwork conducted online between 6 January - 10 January 2006
  • Where results do not sum to 100, or `yes - total' sums do not add up exactly, this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding or the exclusion of don't knows/not stated
  • Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated
  • An asterisk (*) represents a value of less than one half or one percent, but not zero
  • The base for males is 830, the base for females is 960.
Q2. At what age do you feel that children should begin to get information about sex?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Under 5 3 2 4
5-7 9 8 11
8-10 34 31 37
11-13 45 47 43
14-16 6 9 3
Over 16 1 1 1
Dont know 1 2 1
Q3. Do you believe that children in school are...
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Provided with too much information about sex 12 13 11
Provided with too little information about sex 47 45 49
Provided with about the right amount of information about sex 22 23 21
Dont know 19 19 19
Q4. Government advisors have proposed that all schools should teach about sexual behaviour and relationships, in addition to the basic biology of reproduction. Do you support or oppose this?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Support 84 81 86
Oppose 9 11 7
Dont know 7 8 7
Q5. Do you support or oppose the right of parents to withdraw their children from the teaching of sexual behaviour and relationships?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Support 47 46 49
Oppose 40 42 38
Dont know 13 12 13
Q6. At what age did you lose your virginity?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Under 12 1 1 1
12 1 1 *
13 3 4 2
14-15 15 13 16
16-18 42 36 47
19-20 15 14 15
21-24 9 11 7
25-30 2 3 1
Over 30 1 1 *
Ive never had sex 3 4 3
Mean age 17.74 18.06 17.44
Refused 7 9 6
Dont know 1 1 *
Q7. Do you wish you had waited longer to have your first sexual experience, or do you think you were ready? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
I wish I had waited longer/until I was older 25 14 35
I was ready 69 78 60
Refused 3 3 2
Dont Know 4 4 3
Q8. Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your sex life? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
Very satisfied 28 24 31
Fairly satisfied 34 35 33
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 17 17 16
Fairly dissatisfied 11 12 10
Very dissatisfied 8 9 7
Don't know 1 1 1
Refused 2 2 2
Q9. In total, how many sexual partners have you had? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
None * * 0
1 15 13 16
2 10 11 10
3 9 11 8
4 8 7 9
5 10 9 10
6-10 20 21 20
11-15 7 6 8
16-20 4 4 4
21-25 2 2 2
26-35 2 3 1
36-50 2 1 2
51-75 1 1 1
76-100 1 1 *
101+ 1 2 *
Mean number 9.55 11.13 8.06
Dont know 3 3 3
Refused 5 5 5
Q10. In an average month, how many times do you currently have sex? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
None 18 19 18
1 7 8 7
2 7 8 7
3 6 6 6
4 9 9 9
5 5 5 5
6 7 5 8
7 2 2 2
8 7 5 8
9 1 1 1
10 6 6 6
11-15 7 8 7
16-20 3 3 4
21-25 2 1 2
26-30 1 1 1
30+ 1 1 1
Mean number of times 6.02 5.80 6.22
Dont know 4 3 4
Refused 6 6 6
Q11. When starting a new relationship, approximately how long do you usually wait to have sex with that person? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
I don't wait/Immediately 6 10 3
1 week 6 10 3
2-3 weeks 14 14 14
1 month 10 9 12
2-3 months 7 4 9
3-6 months 4 1 6
1 year 1 * 1
More than 1 year 1 * 2
It varies 30 30 30
Dont know 13 13 12
Refused 8 8 8
Q12. Have you had more than one sexual relationship in overlapping time periods? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
Yes, always * 1 *
Yes, frequently 3 4 1
Yes, occasionally 10 13 7
Yes, one or twice 26 26 27
Yes (total) 39 44 35
No 57 52 62
Don't know 1 1 1
Refused 2 3 2
Q13. Have you ever had sex with someone of a different colour to you? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
Yes always 2 1 2
Yes frequently 3 4 3
Yes, occasionally 4 5 2
Yes, once or twice 18 19 17
Yes (total) 27 29 24
No 72 69 75
Dont know * * 0
Refused 1 1 1
Q14. The current legal time period for an abortion to take place is when a woman is up to 24 weeks pregnant. That is, women are allowed to have an abortion at any time within the first 24 weeks of her pregnancy. Do you believe that this time limit should be reduced (i.e. should be less than 24 weeks), increased (i.e. should be more than 24 weeks), or is it about right?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
I do not believe in abortion under any circumstances 10 9 10
Reduced (the legal time limit for an abortion should be less than 24 weeks) 42 36 47
Increased (the legal time limit for an abortion should be more than 24 weeks) 4 5 2
The current time limit is about right 33 35 31
Don't know 10 13 7
Refused 2 2 2
Q15. Should paying to have sex with a prostitute be illegal?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Yes 24 19 29
No 61 66 55
Don't know 14 12 15
Refused 2 2 1
Q16. And do you believe prostitution should be legalised?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Yes 65 70 61
No 21 17 25
Don't know 13 12 14
Refused 1 1 1
Q17. Have you ever visited a prostitute? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,168) (777) (823)
160 % % %
Yes 5 11 *
No 94 87 100
Don't know * * *
Refused 1 2 0
Q18. Would you ever consider paying for sex?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Yes 10 18 2
No 81 69 93
Don't know 7 11 4
Refused 1 2 *
Q19. Would you consider having sex for money if the amount offered was enough?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Yes, definitely 7 11 3
Yes, I would consider it 20 25 15
Yes (total) 27 36 18
No, I would never consider it 60 50 70
Don't know 12 13 11
Refused 1 2 1
Q20. Have you had sex you did not consent to for any of the following reasons, if at all? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
No, I have never had sex I did not consent to 77 88 66
Yes, when I was under the influence of alcohol 6 3 9
Yes, when I was under the influence of drugs 1 1 1
Yes, when there was physical pressure to do so 5 1 8
Yes, when I was trying to keep the person I was having sex with happy 9 4 14
Yes, when I was acting under peer group pressure 2 1 2
Yes, other 4 1 7
Yes (total) 20 8 31
Don't know 1 2 1
Refused 2 2 3
Q21. Have you ever been unfaithful to a partner/someone you have been in a relationship with? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
Yes, frequently 2 2 2
Yes, occasionally 8 11 6
Yes, once or twice 30 27 32
Yes (total) 40 41 40
No, I have never been unfaithful to a partner 57 56 59
I have never been in a relationship/had a partner * 1 0
Don't know * 1 *
Refused 1 2 1
Q22. Have you ever been unfaithful with someone who is a friend of your partner or known to your partner? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) (777) (823)
160 % % %
Yes, frequently 1 1 *
Yes, occasionally 3 3 2
Yes, once or twice 14 14 14
Yes (total) 17 18 16
No 82 80 83
Don't know 1 1 *
Refused 1 1 1
Q23.Have you ever had a one night stand? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) % (777) % (823) %
Yes, frequently 6 8 4
Yes, occasionally 14 15 12
Yes, once or twice 33 32 35
Yes (total) 53 56 51
No 45 42 48
Don't know * * 0
Refused 1 2 1
Q24. Have you ever had sex with someone whose name you did not know? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) % (777) % (823) %
Yes, frequently 1 1 *
Yes, occasionally 4 6 2
Yes, once or twice 12 16 8
Yes (total) 17 24 10
No 82 74 89
Don't know * 1 0
Refused 1 1 1
Q25. Have you ever had sex with a work colleague (who you are/were not in a stable relationship with)? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) % (777) % (823) %
Yes, frequently 2 3 1
Yes, occasionally 5 6 4
Yes, once or twice 21 18 23
Yes (total) 28 27 28
No 71 71 72
Don't know * * *
Refused 1 2 1
Q26. Would you ever have sex with someone to further your career?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Yes 5 9 2
No 87 81 93
Don't know 7 9 4
Refused 1 2 1
Q27. Have you ever had sexual contact with someone of the same sex as you? BASE: All who have had sex (1,618)
160 All Males Females
160 (1,618) % (777) % (823) %
Yes 15 16 15
No 84 83 85
Don't know * * *
Refused 1 1 1
Q28. Do you believe that monogamy (being faithful to one person) is natural?
160 All Males Females
160 % % %
Yes 67 62 73
No 18 22 14
Don't know 13 15 12
Refused 1 1 1

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