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17/09/2009
Booze Blamed For Unsafe Sex
Alcohol can and does influence sexual decision making, according to new research published today by sexual health charity the Family Planning Association (fpa).
The charity said alcohol is commonly seen as a factor in not using a condom with a new partner, regretting sexual activity and having sex with someone who would not normally be found attractive.
Of the 1,002 people aged 18–30 who had past experience of both alcohol and sex, surveyed online by Ipsos MORI on behalf of fpa, 37% said they had 'had sex with a new partner without using a condom'.
Of this group, 40% said that alcohol was a factor (either a great deal or a fair amount) in what happened.
Regretted sex and alcohol, it appears, also often go hand in hand as of the 38% of all respondents who said 'I have taken part in sexual activity with someone and then regretted it later’, a staggering 70% of these said alcohol was a factor (either a great deal or a fair amount) in what happened.
And over a quarter of all respondents (28%) had sex with someone they normally wouldn’t find attractive (fancy), with 73% of them giving alcohol as a factor.
Reacting to these figures, Julie Bentley Chief Executive of fpa said: "People don't go out to take risks, they go out to have a good time.
"People may start with the best intentions, but drinking alcohol reduces the chances of using a condom with someone new and impairs sexual decision making. fpa isn't here to tell people how much they should or shouldn’t drink. Our point is, that you're more likely to take chances with your sexual health if you've drunk alcohol."
(GK/BMcc)
The charity said alcohol is commonly seen as a factor in not using a condom with a new partner, regretting sexual activity and having sex with someone who would not normally be found attractive.
Of the 1,002 people aged 18–30 who had past experience of both alcohol and sex, surveyed online by Ipsos MORI on behalf of fpa, 37% said they had 'had sex with a new partner without using a condom'.
Of this group, 40% said that alcohol was a factor (either a great deal or a fair amount) in what happened.
Regretted sex and alcohol, it appears, also often go hand in hand as of the 38% of all respondents who said 'I have taken part in sexual activity with someone and then regretted it later’, a staggering 70% of these said alcohol was a factor (either a great deal or a fair amount) in what happened.
And over a quarter of all respondents (28%) had sex with someone they normally wouldn’t find attractive (fancy), with 73% of them giving alcohol as a factor.
Reacting to these figures, Julie Bentley Chief Executive of fpa said: "People don't go out to take risks, they go out to have a good time.
"People may start with the best intentions, but drinking alcohol reduces the chances of using a condom with someone new and impairs sexual decision making. fpa isn't here to tell people how much they should or shouldn’t drink. Our point is, that you're more likely to take chances with your sexual health if you've drunk alcohol."
(GK/BMcc)
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