British sex survey shows popularity of monogamy

Most British people are heterosexual, responsible about contraception, stick to one partner at a time, and don't have sex more than 10 times a month. They are also homophobic. Two thirds of men and over half of women believe that homosexual sex is wrong, according to a survey examining the sex life of British people published this week.

Researchers from St Mary's Hospital, London, and University College London Medical School designed the survey to answer questions about sexual behaviour that would help doctors predict the spread of HIV and target safe sex messages. The survey was conducted by Social and Community Planning Research, an independent institute whose researchers interviewed almost 20 000 people aged between 16 and 59.

The evidence suggests that health educators should consider shifting their attention from young single people, who are mostly responsible about sex, to older men who are widowed or divorced. Although young people …