Nearly one in two (49%) adults admit to having sex on the first date

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and with that comes a renewed commitment from many singletons around the world to date and find the one. But when it comes to intimacy, how many of us are throwing out the “third date rule” to have sex straight away? And why might some of us still prefer to wait?

Sexual wellness brand www.lovehoney.com has surveyed over 2,000 adults to investigate how many of us have had sex on the first date, and why we are – or aren’t – open to it. Plus, relationship, sex, and mental health expert Rachel Wright (MA, LFMT) shared her insights into why first-date sex may actually be a good move.

Here are some key findings from the study:

49% of people confess to having had sex on the first date before
Over one in seven men are open to sex on date number one, whereas the majority of women (61%) are not
The most common reason for not getting intimate on the first date is feeling uncomfortable having sex with someone we don’t know well (47%)
Relationship, Sex & Mental Health Therapist, Rachel Wright (MA, LFMT) comments:

“Sex on the first date can be beneficial if you want to have sex on the first date. Here’s the thing – there is no “right time” to have sex. And I’m talking about sex with the definition of “a meaningful experience of pleasure.” The concepts of “don’t give away the milk for free” and “they won’t like me anymore if I give it up too quickly” are old and antiquated and can create so much shame for people of all genders.

“For some people, having sex right away is incredibly helpful in determining if they want to go on a second date and for others feels entirely out of reach because they need to have an established emotional connection with the person before they can have sex.

“Wherever you fall on this spectrum is perfectly okay, and it’s encouraged to talk to the person you’re going out with about it. If you’ve been texting for 2 days before the date, perhaps it may not come up – but if you have been texting for 2 months and trying to schedule a date and it’s finally happening, you may have already discussed sex. Be honest with yourself and the person you’re going out with about your expectations of yourself and them.”