Many studies have tried to assess a simple question, is casual sex good or bad? Although there is no clear easy answer, there have been other discoveries made throughout the process. According to a 2009 study published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 29 percent of men considered their most recent hookup as casual while only 14 percent of women reported the same. In 2014, a study by the Journal of Sex Research sampled heterosexual students from ages 18 to 25 to measure the casualty of sex between men and women. In this sample, 18 percent of men reported engaging in casual sex while 7 percent of women did. These studies tend to show that men are more likely have casual hook-ups.
But another variable that influences casual sex is the intentions behind it. Archives of Sexual Behavior reported in 2015 that hook-ups could be classified into two categories, autonomous and non-autonomous. Autonomy existed when there was attraction and a desire to explore sexuality. Non-autonomy occurred when one or both parties were under the influence, when one party wanted it to be something more casual, or was seeking revenge/was acting out of spite.
People who had sex based on non-autonomous reasons were more likely to not have enjoyed the sexual encounter. This raises the question that is more likely to have sex for autonomous reasons versus non-autonomous reason, men or women?
Social stigmas and stereotypes often illustrate that women are less inclined to have casual sex because it is often followed with regret. These typecasts feed into the idea that women believe that sex is more sacred. Researches conclude that sexual experiences are usually positive so long as they abide by an individual moral code. Could it be that women are held to a stricter moral code therefore impeding their ability to enjoy casual sex? It’s a possibility says UH Manoa senior Tiffani Perry.
“I do think that women are held to higher moral code but that doesn’t determine our enjoyment of it. Casual sex is just that, no deeper attachments.” says Perry.
Research still has to evaluate the set of standards expected from women versus men in order to asses the reasons why women have sex and what they feel afterwards. It’s common for a girl to be taught that she should save herself for someone she truly loves and that she doesn’t want to be considered a slut. These are some of the moral restraints a woman can be subject to, but there are also the physical risks. While both men and women are susceptible to STD’s and emotional trauma from sex, women have the additional risk of pregnancy or passing STD’s to their future children.
While it is possible for women to be more sexually conservative because of an instilled notion of morality it is also possible that they’re not willing to put their bodies at risk in a society that doesn’t let a woman preside over her own body. Values and rules inculcated through a patriarchal society can be directly correlated to a woman’s enjoyment of sex and the casualty with which she has it.
For more information on how to stay safe while being sexually active-visit www.womenshealth.gov.