A wide-ranging French study published this week reveals ‘major changes’ in people's sexuality over the last ten years. Here are the key takeaways. For five years, teams from Inserm (French National Institute for Health and Medical Research), ANRS (Association Nationale de Réadaptation Sociale) and Santé publique France have been investigating sexual practices among French people.
Not done with titillation in mind but rather to provide a better understanding of the social and cultural issues at play, the is the fourth major study on the subject since 1970 - the last one dating from 2006. It is based on responses to a telephone questionnaire from more than 31,000 people aged 15 to 89, selected at random in mainland France and four overseas territories (Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Reunion Island). Here are some key takeaways: Since the end of the 2010s, the median age for first sexual intercourse has risen, reversing the trends observed since the 1960s.
For the 2019-2023 period, women have their first sexual intercourse at the age of 18.2, and men at 17.7.
This phenomenon has already been observed in other European countries, including Denmark, Norway and Sweden. On the other hand, sexual activity is continuing at an increasingly advanced age: in 2023, 56.6% of women and 73.
8% of men remain active between the ages of 50 and 89. The number of sexual partners reported has increased over time. The average number of partners in the lifetime of women aged 18-69 .