Reported partnered sex since lockdown | No | Yes | All % (CI) | P value | |||
Sexual activity since lockdown | Among those reporting never having partnered sex % (CI) | Among those reporting partnered sex ever but not since lockdown % (CI) | Among those not in a steady relationship % (CI) | Among those in a steady, non-cohabiting relationship % (CI) | Among those in a steady, cohabiting relationship % (CI) | ||
% reporting any sexual activity | 53.8 (49.5 to 57.9) | 65.4 (62.8 to 68.0) | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 86.7 (85.7 to 87.6) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 639, 648 | 1487, 1518 | 620, 576 | 359, 325 | 3094, 3111 | 6199, 6178 | |
Physical sexual activity since lockdown | |||||||
% reporting any physical sexual activity† | 42.0 (38.0 to 46.2) | 58.3 (55.6 to 61.0) | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 83.7 (82.7 to 84.7) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 642, 655 | 1458, 1489 | 620, 576 | 359, 325 | 3094, 3111 | 6173, 6156 | |
% reporting any partnered sex‡ | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 63.2 (61.9 to 64.4) | <0001 |
Denominators* | 762, 743 | 1579, 1545 | 576, 620 | 325, 359 | 3111, 3094 | 6354, 6361 | |
% reporting any vaginal, oral, and/or anal sex | 0 | 0 | 91.7 (88.8 to 93.9) | 97.4 (94.5 to 98.8) | 97.7 (97.0 to 98.2) | 61.7 (60.36 to 63.0) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 687, 703 | 1545, 1579 | 618, 573 | 358, 325 | 3088, 3107 | 6296, 6287 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | – | – | 53.2 (48.6 to 57.7) | 47.1 (41.5 to 52.8) | 40.7 (38.9 to 42.6) | 42.9 (41.3 to 44.6) | <0.0001 |
At least once a week | – | – | 46.8 (42.3 to 51.4) | 52.9 (47.3 to 58.5) | 59.3 (57.4 to 61.1) | 57.1 (55.4 to 58.7) | |
Denominators§ | – | – | 572, 526 | 349, 316 | 3017, 3035 | 3938, 3877 | |
% reporting other contact with someone’s genital area | 0 | 0 | 86.8 (83.4 to 89.5) | 86.0 (81.4 to 89.5) | 85.6 (84.2 to 86.9) | 54.3 (52.9 to 55.6) | 0.80 |
Denominators* | 690, 708 | 1545 1579 | 603, 558 | 357, 324 | 3041, 3055 | 6236, 6224 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | – | – | 55.4 (50.6 to 60.1) | 43.1 (37.3 to 49.1) | 36.5 (34.6 to 38.5) | 39.8 (38.0 to 41.5) | <0.0001 |
At least once a week | – | – | 44.6 (39.9 to 49.4) | 56.9 (50.9 to 62.7) | 63.5 (61.5 to 65.4) | 60.2 (58.5 to 62.0) | |
Denominators§ | – | – | 528, 484 | 312, 278 | 2630, 2616 | 3470, 3378 | |
% reporting masturbation | 39 (35.1 to 43.1) | 56.9 (54.2 to 59.6) | 77.5 (73.4 to 81.1) | 69.0 (63.5 to 74.0) | 57.1 (55.2 to 58.9) | 57.4 (56.1 to 58.8) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 673, 692 | 1460, 1491 | 595, 548 | 343, 310 | 3009, 3027 | 6080, 6068 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | 29.4 (23.7 to 35.8) | 29.1 (25.9 to 32.4) | 28.0 (23.7 to 32.7) | 39.9 (33.2 to 46.9) | 36.7 (34.3 to 39.1) | 33.4 (31.8 to 35.1) | <0.0001 |
At least once a week | 70.6 (64.2 to 76.3) | 70.9 (67.6 to 74.1) | 72.0 (67.3 to 76.3) | 60.2 (53.1 to 66.8) | 63.3 (60.9 to 65.7) | 66.6 (64.9 to 68.2) | |
Denominators§ | 277, 270 | 883, 849 | 479, 425 | 239, 214 | 1790, 1727 | 3668, 3484 | |
% reporting using sex toys (by yourself or with someone else) | 4.6 (3.3 to 6.4) | 11.9 (10.3 to 13.7) | 46.9 (42.6 to 51.4) | 37.8 (32.5 to 43.5) | 28.5 (26.8 to 30.2) | 23.7 (22.6 to 24.8) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 704, 724 | 1518, 1553 | 601, 554 | 349, 315 | 3050, 3072 | 6222, 6218 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | 46.0 (29.9 to 62.9) | 53.9 (46.6 to 61.2) | 41.4 (35.3 to 47.8) | 60.4 (51.1 to 69.0) | 53.6 (50.2 to 57.1) | 51.9 (49.2 to 54.6) | 0.0030 |
At least once a week | 54.0 (37.1 to 70.1) | 46.1 (38.9 to 53.5) | 58.6 (52.2 to 64.7) | 39.6 (31.0 to 49.0) | 46.4 (42.9 to 49.9) | 48.1 (45.5 to 50.8) | |
Denominators§ | 40, 33‡‡ | 215, 185 | 300, 260 | 139, 119 | 943, 876 | 1637, 1473 | |
Virtual sexual activities since lockdown | |||||||
% reporting any virtual sexual activity¶ | 40.9 (37.0 to 45.0) | 51.0 (48.3 to 53.7) | 84.3 (80.8 to 87.2) | 68.4 (63.0 to 73.4) | 48.4 (46.5 to 50.3) | 52.6 (51.2 to 53.9) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 674, 690 | 1507, 1539 | 610, 565 | 356, 322 | 3045, 3063 | 6192, 6180 | |
% reporting any virtual sexual activity excluding looking at pornography** | 19.4 (16.4 to 22.7) | 25.6 (23.4 to 28.0) | 73.7 (69.6 to 77.4) | 54.5 (48.8 to 60.0) | 21.0 (19.5 to 22.6) | 28.5 (27.3 to 29.7) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 687, 705 | 1527, 1561 | 613, 569 | 356, 322 | 3068, 3086 | 6251, 6243 | |
% reporting messaging via dating apps/online | 16.1 (13.4 to 19.2) | 21.6 (19.5 to 23.9) | 59.7 (55.3 to 64.0) | 38.4 (33.0 to 44.0) | 13.7 (12.5 to 15.1) | 21.4 (20.3 to 22.5) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 702, 719 | 1537, 1571 | 608, 564 | 357, 323 | 3066, 3085 | 6270, 6262 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | 53.8 (44.1 to 63.2) | 41.1 (35.7 to 46.8) | 28.4 (23.5 to 33.9) | 19.6 (12.9 to 28.7) | 27.9 (23.5 to 32.8) | 32.9 (30.2 to 35.6) | <0.0001 |
At least once a week | 46.2 (36.8 to 55.9) | 58.9 (53.2 to 64.3) | 71.6 (66.2 to 76.5) | 80.4 (71.3 to 87.1) | 72.1 (67.2 to 76.5) | 67.2 (64.4 to 69.8) | |
Denominators§ | 127, 115 | 367, 340 | 374, 337 | 140, 124 | 442, 424 | 1450, 1339 | |
% reporting sexting (images or recorded videos) | 4.8 (3.4 to 6.8) | 9.6 (8.2 to 11.2) | 49.6 (45.2 to 53.9) | 36.0 (30.8 to 41.5) | 15.2 (13.9 to 16.6) | 16.8 (15.8 to 17.8) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 707, 726 | 1532, 1567 | 611, 568 | 357, 324 | 3080, 3099 | 6287, 6284 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | 64.7 (47.5 to 78.8) | 51.2 (42.9 to 59.5) | 44.8 (38.7 to 51.1) | 55.3 (45.9 to 64.3) | 45.8 (41.1 to 50.6) | 48.0 (44.8 to 51.2) | 0.080 |
At least once a week | 35.3 (21.2 to 52.5) | 48.8 (40.5 to 57.1) | 55.2 (48.9 to 61.3) | 44.7 (35.7 to 54.1) | 54.2 (49.4 to 58.9) | 52.0 (48.8 to 55.2) | |
Denominators§ | 41, 35‡‡ | 169, 150 | 314, 281 | 131, 117 | 502, 472 | 1157, 1055 | |
% reporting using video or voice calls to interact with someone sexually | 3.2 (2.0 to 5.1) | 5.8 (4.7 to 7.2) | 43.9 (39.6 to 48.3) | 31.2 (26.2 to 36.7) | 11.5 (10.3 to 12.7) | 13.0 (12.2 to 14.0) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 709, 728 | 1532, 1567 | 611, 565 | 356, 323 | 3076, 3094 | 6284, 6276 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | – | 54.6 (43.7 to 65.0) | 45.3 (38.6 to 52.2) | 47.8 (37.9 to 58.0) | 44.1 (38.7 to 49.7) | 46.8 (43.1 to 50.5) | 0.19 |
At least once a week | – | 45.5 (35.0 to 56.4) | 54.7 (47.8 to 61.4) | 52.2 (42.0 to 62.2) | 55.9 (50.3 to 61.3) | 53.3 (49.5 to 56.9) | |
Denominators§ | 21, 23†† | 92, 92 | 254, 248 | 108, 101 | 361, 355 | 836, 818 | |
% reporting looking at pornography | 29.6 (26.0 to 33.4) | 41.1 (38.5 to 43.7) | 67.6 (63.3 to 71.6) | 49.5 (43.9 to 55.1) | 42.4 (40.5 to 44.3) | 43.2 (41.9 to 44.6) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 689, 707 | 1497, 1529 | 599, 553 | 352, 320 | 3048, 3067 | 6185, 6176 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | 33.6 (26.8 to 41.1) | 29.0 (25.4 to 32.9) | 38.5 (33.4 to 44.0) | 38.2 (30.6 to 46.4) | 41.5 (38.7 to 44.4) | 37.3 (35.4 to 39.3) | <0.0001 |
At least once a week | 66.4 (58.9 to 73.3) | 71.0 (67.1 to 74.6) | 61.5 (56.0 to 66.6) | 61.8 (53.7 to 69.4) | 58.5 (55.6 to 61.3) | 62.7 (60.7 to 64.6) | |
Denominators§ | 207, 209 | 659, 628 | 411, 374 | 178, 159 | 1337, 1300 | 2792, 2669 | |
% reporting paying for online sexual services (eg, live streaming) | 0.9 (0.4 to 1.9) | 0.7 (0.4 to 1.3) | 23.8 (20.2 to 27.9) | 10.2 (7.2 to 14.3) | 6.9 (6.0 to 8.0) | 6.4 (5.7 to 7.0) | <0.0001 |
Denominators* | 716, 736 | 1542, 1576 | 608, 563 | 357, 323 | 3079, 3097 | 6302, 6294 | |
Of those who did, frequency since lockdown | |||||||
Less than weekly | – | – | 45.5 (36.3 to 55.0) | 34.3 (19.8 to 52.3) | 40.2 (33.4 to 47.5) | 42.7 (37.5 to 48.0) | 0.18 |
At least once a week | – | – | 54.5 (45.0 to 63.7) | 65.8 (47.7 to 80.2) | 59.8 (52.5 to 66.7) | 57.4 (52.0 to 62.6) | |
Denominators§ | 7, 6†† | 12, 11†† | 131, 134 | 35, 33‡‡ | 216, 215 | 401, 400 |
Table created by the authors.
*Denominators (unweighted, weighted): all respondents.
†Reported at least one of the following activities since lockdown: vaginal, anal or oral sex, other contact with someone’s genital area, masturbating, using sex toys (by yourself or with someone else).
‡Reported at least one of the following partnered activities since lockdown: vaginal, anal or oral sex, other contact with someone’s genital area.
§Denominators (unweighted, weighted): all respondents (who reported the activity in lockdown).
¶Reported at least one of the following since lockdown: messaging via dating apps/online, sexting (images or recorded videos), using video or voice calls to interact with someone sexually, looking at pornography, paying for online sexual services (eg, live streaming).
**Reported at least one of the following since lockdown: Messaging via dating apps/online, sexting (images or recorded videos), using video or voice calls to interact with someone sexually, paying for online sexual services (eg, live streaming).
††Unweighted denominator <30 so estimates not shown due to small denominator.
‡‡Unweighted denominator. Results should be interpreted with caution due to small denominator.