Who owns the biggest number of sex toys? You may have guessed these are popular among single people. Think again! Studies have shown time and time again that one segment of the population is far ahead of everyone else when it comes to sex toy ownership.
The title has given the premise of the article away already but the finding is so unexpected that it bears repeating. Out of all people, women in a relationship are most likely to own sex toys. Here are the whys and hows.
What the Numbers Have to Say
One of the oldest studies on the topic was carried out back in 2004 — a time when sex toys weren’t as popular or as commonly discussed as they are now.
According to the Chicago’s Berman Center report, about 50% of all adult women own sex toys or claim they’ve used such accessories in the past. The sample consisted of 2,600 women in the 18 to 60 age range.
Of all participants, the vast majority reported using sex toys while in a relationship. Most of these women did not perceive their use of sex toys as cheating. Of the women living with a partner at the time of the survey, 43% reported using sex toys on a regular basis. Interestingly enough, only 22% of the single women participating in the survey said that they own and use sex toys (12% had done so in the past).
It’s interesting to point out that the vast majority of ladies had a neutral to positive outlook on the use of sex toys, whether in a relationship or not. Those using sex toys and being in a relationship reported higher levels of overall sexual satisfaction. Their sex toy use contributed to more arousal and less discomfort during casual sex with a partner.
Ninety percent of the surveyed women in a relationship said that they were open with partners about sex toy use. Almost two-thirds of the women questioned responded that their partners were fine with the ownership of adult toys like glass dildos, vibrators and other comparable items.
Newer statistics have painted a similar picture.
It’s also interesting to point out that social acceptance and awareness have increased the use of sex toys in couples. In fact, 37% of the women who participated in a recent poll reported using their vibrator with a partner.
U.K. statistics paint a similar picture. Almost half of the U.K. adult population owns some sort of sex toy, a 2017 survey suggests. Ownership was most common among women in the 45 to 54 age group. When asked about the reason behind the purchase of a toy, most respondents said that it provided opportunities for spicing things up in the bedroom. In other words, usage with a partner was once again very, very common.
Pushing Sexual Boundaries to Discover New Horizons
The studies presented in the previous section shatter some very common notions and misconceptions people have about sex toy use.
The first one is that these are mainly bought for solo use. There’s an outdated belief that single people are the ones that need sex toys the most to get off. In real life, this isn’t the case. People in a relationship are far more likely to purchase such items, whether they’re being used solo or with a partner.
Surveys have also broken down another common misconception. When it comes to women using sex toys, a common stereotype persists. It focuses on difficulties achieving orgasm and a vibrator helping with that.
In one of the studies, female sex toy owners were asked to present the main reason for their purchase. Only 16% quoted an easier orgasm as the main motivator. For the vast majority, a sex toy provided opportunities to try something new and spice things up with a partner.
When you come to think about it, that’s a pretty logical explanation of sex toy ownership among married women and ladies in a relationship.
No matter how great the sex is with a partner, it can get boring after a while. In the absence of a spicier alternative, many people start living in a sexless relationship or they give up on the partnership altogether.
A high-quality sex toy makes it very easy to rejuvenate one’s sex life and get it exciting again. According to a survey that The Atlantic presented in 2019, women feel dissatisfied with sex in a long-term relationship much more than their male partners
Researchers found out that over the course of 90 months, female sexual desire went down significantly. The same didn’t happen with the male libido. Studies from the U.S., U.K. and Germany have all reached similar conclusions.
Trying something new and diversifying a predictable routine can address such issues. Such desires explain why sex toy ownership is on the rise and why it’s seen as particularly desirable by married women.
Boring Sex Doesn’t Have to Be the Norm
Some women still put up with mediocre sex without seeking an alternative or a way to improve the situation.
Such attitudes are totally unacceptable in 2021.
We are more open to sex education than we have ever been before. Awareness, consent and the desire to explore are all being encouraged, whether a person is single or in a relationship.
In addition, the sex toy market has grown exponentially. Couples today have so many choices to explore — from vanilla vibrating toys to kinkier and much more fetish-oriented items. Chances are that everyone will discover at least a few choices in line with their desires and fantasies.
If you are in a relationship and the sex has lost some of its charm, there’s no reason to take the boredom for granted.
Chances are that you’re not undertaking anything because you’re afraid to talk to your partner about it. Once you open up, however, you’ll probably find out that they feel in the exact same way.
Don’t worry about broaching the sex toy topic. Even if your partner seems resistant or reluctant at first, chances are that they’ll come around. And let’s face it — you have nothing to lose by talking about making sex spicier!
