past, research shows. And women in relationships are even more likely to use them. Online sex toy stores such as Vibration-Station UK (http://www.vibration-station.co.uk) cater for both singles and partners alike and their range is well stocked with toys for both scenarios whether you are with a partner or not.
They state that the findings are interesting, however they stated that the use of sex toys by women from all age groups and scenarios was on the increase in general across the board, from their own independant surveys they had completed.
The report comes from Chicago's Berman Center. Directed by sex therapist
Laura Berman, LCSW, PhD, the center focuses on women's sexual health and
menopause.
The online study, funded by an unrestricted educational grant from drugstore.
com, was conducted by Knowledge Networks for the Berman Center. The results
were presented at the Women's Sexual Health State-of the-Art Series
conference in Chicago.
A random sample of almost 2,600 women aged 18 to 60 were invited to
participate in the survey. About 1,600 agreed to complete the survey,
answering questions about their relationship status and use of sex toys.
According to the survey:
Forty-four percent said they currently use a sex toy or had done so in the
past. The most commonly used sex toy was a vibrator.
Young women aged 25-34 were the most likely to have ever used a sex toy, with
51% of participants in that age group reporting current or past sex toy use.
Women aged 55-60 were just as likely to have tried a sex toy at some point in
their lives. However, they were half as likely as younger women to currently
use sex toys.
Most current or past sex toy users were in relationships and said they did
not view the devices as a substitute for a partner.
Of unmarried women living with their partners, 43% said they currently used
sex toys, and 17% said they had used them in the past.
Among women in relationships who were not living with their partners, 35%
said they currently used sex toys, and 21% said they had done so in the past.
Sex Toys Less Common Among Singles
Sex toy use was less common among women not in relationships. Twenty-two
percent of single women said they were current sex toy users; 12% said they
had used sex toys in the past.
The use of sex toys was most popular among white women and women with some
college education.
Thirty-four percent of white women said they currently used sex toys,
compared with 22% of black participants, 19% of Hispanics, and 8% of "other"
races.
Thirty-seven percent of women with some college education (but not a degree)
were current sex toy users, compared with 26% of women with a college degree
and 29% of high school graduates with no college education.
Sex Toys no Substitute for Real Thing
Overall, women had a "neutral-to-positive" outlook on sex toy use.
After controlling for demographic variables, "current sex toy users, whether
or not in a steady healthy relationship, were significantly more likely to
report a higher level of desire and interest for sex and less pain during and
following intercourse," says the report.
"However, current and former users who were not in steady healthy
relationships were still less satisfied with their overall sexual life than
their counterparts."
Most sex toy users (about 90%) said they were open about it with their
partners. Almost two-thirds of women said their partners were supportive of
their sex toy use.
The main reason cited for current or past sex toy use: curiosity.
