Sex researchers Zhana Vrangalova and Rachel E. Bukberg took a closer look at the effect that slut-shaming actually has on women in a new study recently published in the academic journal Personal Relationships. The researchers wanted to figure out whether people who had more casual sex felt judged or socially isolated.
Bukberg and Vrangalova surveyed 810 college students between ages 18 and 23, asking them how many casual sex partners they have had as well as questions about their group of friends and what kind of experiences they’ve had (if any) being judged or victimized by their friend group. Of those surveyed, 42 percent said that they’ve never had casual sex partners, while 18 percent said that they have had one or two casual sex partners, and 23 percent reported having seven or more.
The study found that the more casual sex partners that respondents had, the more likely they were to be judged by their group of friends. But even more interestingly, the study also found that the more casual sex partners the respondent had, the more likely they were to have a best friend and a larger group of close friends.
“The study finds that even though promiscuous people have to deal with more social stigma and aggression from peers, they actually have more friends and feel less lonely,” Vrangalova told The Huffington Post. “This suggests that our stereotype of ‘the slut’ (especially if female) as this lonely, sad, rejected victim is inaccurate and that promiscuous people in general appear quite resilient in the face of social adversity.”
So although slut-shaming may be a common and awful practice in our country, chances are that even if you’re the subject of slut-shaming judgment and gossip, you’ve got a solid group of friends to support you and remind you not to let the haters get you down.