Indiana University's Center for Sexual Health Promotion has conducted the first comprehensive survey of American sexuality in nearly two decades, and the largest ever of its kind. Sponsored by Trojan, the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior has revealed, says Melissa Healey at the Los Angeles Times, that "Americans are mixing it up a good deal more than they have in the past." Here's a sampling of attention-getting stats from the survey:
5,686
Number of people, ages 14 to 94, who were surveyed
64
Percentage of women who reported having had an orgasm during their last sexual "event"
85
Percentage of men who reported that their partner had reached orgasm during their most recent encounter. ("We can't help but notice the gender gap between male and female orgasms, men being a little bit clueless about their partner having an orgasm or maybe they're getting bad information," said Pepper Schwartz, a sociology professor and a member of the Trojan Sexual Health Advisory Council.)
60
Approximate percentage of male respondents who reported having pleasured themselves in the past month
30
Approximate percentage of male respondents over 70 who reported to have done so
33
Highest percentage of women in any age group who reported having had anal sex for a study conducted in 1992
46
Highest percentage of women in any age group who reported having had anal sex in the new Indiana University survey
2
Percentage of 14-year-olds surveyed who said they had engaged in sexual intercourse in the past year
40
Percentage of the 17-year-olds surveyed who said the same thing
41
Number of different combinations of sexual acts Americans practice, according to the researchers' tally
15
Percentage of men in their 40s and 50 who report having received fellatio from another man at some point
13
Percentage of men in their 40s and 50s who report having given another man fellatio
1 in 5
Number of married men in their 50s who report not having had vaginal sex in the past year
Sources: Slate, ABC News, Los Angeles Times, Business Week, The Washington Post