Masturbation: the new practices of the French

A new study on French masturbation has just been published. First lesson: we masturbate less than our European neighbors, French women indulging little in solitary pleasures. About 8 out of 10 French people say they masturbate, a level lower than in the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain (90% of nationals).

Confinement has changed sexual practices

Twenty-four percent of French people refractory to masturbation were tempted by sex toys during confinement, extending this new practice until today. Sixty-four percent say having fun alone has helped them feel better, whether it’s stress-related or intellectually (81% think masturbation has a positive influence on brain function). Forty-nine percent of the cohort also claim to have improved their orgasms and reached them more easily.

The taboo still exists

“Beyond these recent developments, this study has also demonstrated that a taboo still exists around masturbation, even if the French encourage discussions and education related to sexuality”, note the pollsters. Seventy-two percent of us think society would benefit from people discussing masturbation openly. Nevertheless, more than half of the population (55%) do not dare to broach the subject with friends. Many also deplore a lack of knowledge and open-mindedness linked to botched sex education (only 39% have received this type of education at school).

Finally, and contrary to popular belief, sexuality does not appear to be a necessity in the couple. In fact, nearly two out of three French women could continue to live with someone without sexual intercourse (65%), i.e. a proportion that has been rising steadily for 40 years, since this was the case for 51% of women in 2000 and 44 % in 1981.