Kiwis Have Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’

17 APRIL 2007

Sex Survey Reveals That Kiwis Have Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’

- Despite lots of sex, latest Durex survey shows we’re not satisfied in the sack -

The latest sex survey from Durex reveals that while Kiwis are having a lot of sex, for more than half of us it’s just a tremble rather than an earth-shattering quake.

The inaugural Durex Sexual Wellbeing Survey, launched today, shows that 43% of Kiwis are fully satisfied with their sex lives, and only 51% of us say that sex is important.

New Zealand doesn’t fare too badly in the frequency of sex stakes. However, despite having sex on average 122 times a year, and outperforming our Australian neighbours who lag behind on 106, Durex’s new sexual satisfaction survey shows that Kiwis should start focusing on the quality of our sex rather than the quantity.

New survey:
The Durex Global Sexual Wellbeing Survey is a new, multi-faceted study that questioned more than 26,000 respondents across 26 countries on every aspect of their sex lives to find out what constitutes sexual wellbeing. The subject is a complex one that permeates all aspects of a person’s sex life, and this study of sexual satisfaction is the first in a series of findings that Durex will be publishing over the coming months. More than 1,100 New Zealanders took part in this survey - the highest number of respondents from any country.

Victoria Potter, Durex NZ Manager, says the new study by Durex looks at people’s sexual attitudes and behaviour, but takes into account environmental factors as well.

“Durex saw an opportunity to research further into the sex lives of people around the world, focusing on the emotional side, as well as the physical side of sexual relationships,” says Ms Potter. “Our sexual priorities have changed over the years, so it is important that we track the impact of external factors, such as work and children, so we can think about how we can achieve better sex.”

“It’s easy to get distracted with other activities in life – as this survey indicates. Let’s hope, since we’re a fierce sporting nation, the impending Rugby World Cup doesn’t take our eyes off the ball in the bedroom.”

Modern lifestyle a sex wrecker:
Why, we ask, are our sex lives monotonous? It seems that our busy modern lifestyle is to blame. The Durex Sexual Wellbeing survey demonstrates that our sexual satisfaction levels have decreased due to a combination of too much stress, tiredness, lack of quality time with our partners, low sex drives and lack of romance.

More than two in five (42%) New Zealanders want to feel less stressed out and tired, and 40% of us want more romance, and a further 34% want a higher sex drive. These figures are similar in Australia, indicating stress factors could be a trans-Tasman issue. Nearly half (47%) of people in Australia believe their sex lives would be improved by lower levels of stress and tiredness, while two in five would like more quality time with their partners and higher sex drives. More romance, tenderness and love (41%) is also seen as beneficial to our Australian neighbours.

Anatomical make-up of men and women affect our physical enjoyment:
Only 51% of Kiwis claim to regularly orgasm, with men climaxing more often than women. This can be simply explained by anatomy as, physically, women take longer to climax, and require more stimulation than men.

Taking this into consideration, it seems New Zealanders need to think about how they can find more time for sex as, on average, Kiwis spend only 18 minutes on each sex session (the global average).

While the quality of sex seems to be missing in this land of the long white cloud, it isn’t all bad news. Even though Kiwis are busy individuals, we still get frisky with our loved ones even when we are away from them. Out of all Kiwi survey respondents, 10% indulge in telephone sex regularly, with a further 8% wanting it to become part of their sexual repertoire. Furthermore, 17% of Kiwis would like to get hot and steamy with some role play (17%), sexual fantasies (15%), bondage, massage and giving anal sex (all 11%).

The Durex survey also revealed that painful sex is a common problem, with two in five Kiwi women (46%) saying they have suffered from vaginal dryness at some point – a condition that appears to be particularly prevalent among teenagers rather than new mums or older women experiencing menopause.

More than three in 10 New Zealanders (32%) admitted to having experienced painful sex, while a similar number (34%) says they have suffered loss of libido. In addition, 37% of male respondents have reported difficulty in rising to the sexual occasion, and 43% admitted to having problems sustaining an erection.

Robyn Salisbury, Director of Sex Therapy New Zealand, says New Zealanders’ have high expectations of their sex lives.

“Sexual wellbeing is a vital energy source for individuals and couples which is why we have quite high expectations. Our clients find the journey into greater intimacy the most amazing adventure of their lives. I do hope these survey findings will prompt people into addressing their concerns to achieve satisfying, more secure relationships,” says Ms Salisbury.

More global results:
According to the survey Nigeria is the most sexually satisfied nation, with 67% of respondents saying they are content. Next is Mexico (63%), and then India (61%). The least satisfied nation is Japan, at just 15%.

The Greek gods are certainly smiling on their subjects as they are the ones having the most fun admitting to having sex a whopping 164 times a year. Therefore, it’s no surprise 80% of Greeks say sex is important to them. They are followed closely by the Poles on 79%.

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