fewer relationships, pleasure, new practices… What does the latest scientific survey say?

What does French sexuality look like in 2023? It is this indiscreet question of life under the covers that this major scientific investigation published this Wednesday, November 13, and conducted by the ANRS (National Association for Social Rehabilitation) and Inserm after five years of multidisciplinary and multi-disciplinary research, answers. -institutional.

And it is obviously not to titillate the general public that this work was carried out, but to help me understand the societal, but also medical, issues. Nothing is more political, ultimately, than the trifle, and its demographic, social and health implications. “The transformations of French society over the last decades, both on a social and legal level, as well as an economic and technological one, have had an impact on representations and practices in the field of sexuality and sexual health,” announce the researchers. Decryption without taboo.

Diverse sexual practices…

First observation: since the end of the 2010s, the median age of first sexual intercourse has increased slightly, reversing the trends observed since the 1960s. Thus, for the 2019-2023 sequence, women have their first intercourse at 18.2 years for women, 17.7 years for men. On the other hand, sexual activity continues 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. On the other hand, the number of reported sexual partners has increased over time: in 2023, women report having had 7.9 partners (3.4 in 1992), while men report 16.4. But the real new trend is above all multi-partnership, or the fact of having had several partners in the last 12 months. A phenomenon increasing among 18 to 29 year olds, among women (9.6% in 1992 against 23.9% in 2023) and among men (22.9% in 1992, against 32.3% in 2023).

Another development: the diversification of sexual practices, with a growing proportion of French people having experienced oral or anal sex (38.9% of women and 57.4% of men), or masturbation, which is becoming more widespread among women from 18 to 69 years old (72.9% in 2023). “These developments, observed since the beginning of the 1970s, outline a more diverse sexuality, less and less restricted to vaginal penetration,” the researchers conclude.

…But less frequent

Diversified therefore, sexual activity is also less frequent, whatever the gender or age group. Certainly, in 2023, some 77.2% of women and 81.6% of men aged 18-69 report having had sexual activity during the year, but among these, their frequency over the last four weeks has dropped from 8.1 in 1992 to 6 in 2023 for women, and from 9 to 6.7 for men.

This being said, the proportion of French people who have reluctantly given in to the advances of their partner has also declined; while the “sexual satisfaction” index has increased slightly: 45.3% of women and 39% of men say they are very satisfied with their sex life.

Gender: increasingly permeable borders

In terms of gender, the changes in mentalities are clear, and echo the legislative developments marked by Marriage for All in 2013, access to PMA for female couples and single people (2021).

Thus, social acceptance of homosexuality and transidentity has progressed, even if it remains lower among men than among women, who are “more tolerant”: 69.6% of women and 56.2% of men of 18 to 89 years old consider that homosexuality is a sexuality like any other. Less broad acceptance for transidentity: 41.9% of women and 31.6% of men consider it as another, while 40.5% of mothers and 33% of fathers would accept their child's transidentity.

And these new gender contours go further: 0.1% of French people say they have taken steps to change their gender; while 2.3% of women and 2.4% of men aged 18-89 say they have already thought about changing gender; and up to 6% of 18-29 year olds.

Questioning heterosexuality

Sexual orientation also refers to increasingly permeable definitions, with different answers if we discuss the subject in terms of “sexual attraction over the course of life”, “practice” or “sexual identification”. “. Clearly, attraction to a person of the same sex is no longer experienced as a taboo if we believe the statements, while practices between people of the same sex have increased over time.

Conclusion of the researchers: “by combining practice, attraction and identification, we observe that more than one woman in five (22.6%) and one man in seven (14.5%) is not strictly heterosexual. » A questioning of heterosexuality more common among young people under 29, but also among women (37% women, 18.3% men): “for them, there is more to gain to move towards other sexual possibilities due to gender inequalities and persistent violence within heterosexual couples, which are increasingly documented” attest the researchers.

And digital? Good and bad

Another major upheaval in sexuality: the digital age, and the advent of “new spaces of sociability” and new modes of sexual exchange. The researchers note that “we still know very little in France about the way in which these new uses have spread in sexual exchanges and have potentially modified practices”.

The survey, however, makes it possible to quantify the phenomenon: “33% of women and 46.6% of men aged 18 to 89 have already had a sexual experience online, this being more common among those under thirty (63.9 % of women 72.8% of men) and “sexual minorities”: 66.6% of women and 73.4% of non-heterosexual men.

“The diffusion of these new digital practices over the last 20 years is gradually transforming the social framework of sexual practices and relationships. While these experiences are mostly positive, they can also lead to harmful situations and deleterious effects in terms of mental health,” conclude the researchers, who call on political decision-makers to better take care of “people confronted with digital sexual violence.” In fact, in 2023, 13.1% of women and 12.8% of men report having had a harmful experience online. But digital technology also represents a source of information on sexuality and sexual health for 75% of women and 69.7% of men.

Sexual violence: figures on the rise

Another societal development: reports of sexual violence have significantly increased. In 2006, 15.9% of 18-69 year olds declared having experienced forced sex or an attempt, a figure which reaches 29.8% in 2023. A figure which reaches 36.8% in the 18 to 29 year old bracket.

But this increase reflects both an “improvement in the ability to qualify the facts” as well as support, but also the lowering of tolerance thresholds and the end of taboos.

Vaccines, unwanted pregnancies, condoms… Ouch!

In the area of ​​sexual health, several trends are emerging, which raise questions about prevention policies. Starting with the deceleration of condom use at first sexual intercourse: 49.4% of women and 52.6% of women use a condom during their first sexual intercourse with a partner they met in the last 12 months. Hardly more glorious is the vaccination coverage of 15-29 year olds: 63.5% of women and 52.9% of men are vaccinated against hepatitis B. While 50.6% of women and 20.2% of men are vaccinated against papillomaviruses.

As for the contraceptive landscape, it is also changing, with a clear decline in the contraceptive pill in favor of the IUD, which is becoming the most used method (27.7%), ahead of the pill (26.8%), the condom (18.6%), natural methods (6.2%). Finally, 13% do not have a contraceptive method.

Worse, unwanted pregnancies are on the rise: 34.7% of the latest pregnancies occurring in recent years are unwanted. A proportion that rises to 51.8% for 18 to 29 year olds