It is often assumed that the various lockdowns resulted in people having more sex, but a recent Forsa (Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis) survey commissioned by Orion Wholesale in Germany has disproven this. 73% of the participants stated that the pandemic had no influence on their love life, and a majority of those with partners who said that Covid did have an influence reported that they actually had less sex.
With regard to masturbation, 77% stated that the pandemic had no influence on their masturbation frequency, with 11% saying they masturbated more often and 8% masturbated saying less often.
However, the figures changes when compared to the last Forsa survey commissioned by Orion in 2017: both men and women now masturbate more frequently than four years ago. In 2017 79% of men said they masturbated at least once a month and that figure is now 85%. The figure for women has increased even more, from 49% to 60%. Interestingly, the largest increase was recorded by those in a relationship rather than singletons.
Sex toy ownership is also on the rise. The percentage of people who own at least one sex toy has risen from 47% in 2017 to 51% in 2021, and the number of men who now own one has increased by 9% during the past four years. The biggest increase in sex toy ownership happened in the 30 to 39 age category, and the number of couples who own more than one sex toy has increased by 10%.
When asked their reasons for owning sex toys, 55% said it was to make sex with a partner more interesting (up from 51% in 2017) but there were clear differences between the genders. Most women use sex toys for masturbation (64%), with variety in second place, followed by the statement that it is easier to reach an orgasm when using one (36%). Men stated that the most important aspect for them is variety (61%), followed by the desire to pleasure their partner (53%).
Further information can be found at www.orion.eu
