Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by many cultures is the one-night stand , and its frequency is used by researchers as a marker for promiscuity. What sexual behavior is considered promiscuous varies between cultures, as does the prevalence of promiscuity. Different standards are often applied to different genders and civil statutes. Feminists have traditionally argued a significant double standard exists between how men and women are judged for promiscuity.

Jump to content. Sexual behaviour factsheet PDF. You can download, but not print, our factsheet PDFs. Order a printed factfile of all UK factsheets. Until the s there was little reliable information on the sexual behaviour of the general population in Great Britain.

Percentage of men and women years of age who have had five or more opposite sex partners in the past 12 months, , and NOTE: Includes partners with whom respondent had any type of sexual contact vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Median number of opposite-sex partners in lifetime among sexually experienced men and women aged years of age , and Percentage of men and women aged years of age who have had 15 or more opposite-sex sexual partners in lifetime, , and