France is suffering from an “unprecedented decline in sexual activity”, particularly among young people, according to a new study that flies in the face of Latin lover stereotypes.
Some 28 per cent of 18-24 year-olds who had already slept with someone in their lives have not had sexual intercourse in a year, compared with 5 per cent in 2006, according to the Ifop survey for the sex toy company Lelo, which was reported by state radio France Inter.
In the 50-59 age bracket, 35 per cent of French people admitted to having been sexually inactive over the last 12 months, up considerably from 10 per cent in 2006.
Overall, the proportion of sexually initiated people who said they had sexual intercourse in the last 12 months was 76 per cent, which is a 15 percentage point drop compared with 2006.
François Kraus, director of Ifop’s gender, sexuality and sexual health unit, told France Inter: “Before, the French thought they had to have sex two or three times a week, but today the notion of sobriety, which is fairly widespread, is also reflected in terms of sexuality.”
The French, and 18-24 year-olds in particular, are having less and less sex, according to the Ifop survey.
