Top > Health > 2007 > April > 2007-04-16

Australian Study: Women Better Off on their Own Sexually

A new study shows that woman are more likely to have an orgasm alone then with a partner. According to the study, held in Queensland, Australia, disposing of a male partner, allows women to "better connect with themselves." The study surveyed 500 sexually-active adult women. 56% of the single women reported they achieve an orgasm on their own. While, only 24% of the women living with a permanent partner reported having an orgasm while having sex with their spouse.

"That`s a significant difference and I`d imagine there are few men out there a little surprised and unimpressed that women have better luck without them," said medical sex therapist Dr Jane Howard and own of the authors of the study. The study question was what sex means to older women. The researchers tried to find sexual trends among women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Dr. Howard said she believes that women living without a spouse are more easily able to have an orgasm because they are less concerned with pleasing their partner.

"Arousal is a lot about what erotic thoughts go through the mind, and for women that`s very different to men," Dr Howard said. "It may be focusing on Colin Firth`s smoldering eyes, some romantic novel or a waterfall or whatever." She added that the study shattered earlier conceptions about relationships and sexuality. "We like to think of people having wild sex for their whole lives but the reality isn`t quite like that," she said.