The average number of sexual partners has changed, it is not the same for men as for women

A large-scale study, conducted by Inserm, ANRS and Santé publique France, on the sexuality of the French reveals changes over the last three decades.

&Age of first intercourse, number of partners, variety of practices, questioning of the heterosexual norm or even digital sexuality… Everything has been examined closely. Published this Wednesday, November 13, a study conducted over the last five years by Inserm, ANRS and Santé publique France among 32,000 people reveals that the sexuality of the French has evolved over the last thirty years. Among the points addressed, the average number of sexual partners. This is increasing.

Thus, we learn that in 2023, women aged 18 to 69 reported having had, on average, 7.9 partners during their life, or 4.5 more than 30 years ago. Indeed, in 1992, the figure of 3.4 partners was put forward, compared to 4.5 in 2006. A figure however far from that declared by the male gender. Men, for their part, claimed to have had 16.4 partners on average. A figure up compared to 2006 (11.9) and 1992 (11.2).

The French also have more partners in the same year, we learned, particularly young people aged 18 to 29. A difference between women and men is again noted here. While 9.6% of women reported having had multiple sexual partners in the past year in 1992, this figure was 19.3% in 2006 and 23.9% in 2023, compared to 22.9% of men in 1992, 29% in 2006 and 32.3% in 2023.

The study also tells us that more French people have multiple sexual partners in the past year. say they are “very satisfied with their current sex life”: 45% of women and 39% of men. A questioning of the heterosexual norm is also noted, with 8.8% of women and 8.9% of men aged 18-89 who said in 2023 that they had already had at least one partner of the same sex during their life. Inserm, ANRS and Santé publique France observe that sexual violence is increasingly reported, which may reflect, according to the study, ” both an increase in the ability to qualify acts of violence and an increase in the frequency of such events, but also a greater ease in mentioning them in the context of research”. Finally, insufficient prevention during sexual intercourse emerges, with 75.2% of women and 84.5% of men admitting in 2023 to having used a condom on the occasion of their first sexual intercourse, compared to 85% of women in 2004-2006 and more than 90% of men.