Research shows 32% of Aussie singles didn’t use any form of protection last year

Why aren't we wrapping up?

While transmission of preventable STIs is increasing in Australia, fewer singles are using condoms, according to new data from Durex. So why aren't Aussies using protection?

Even though many Aussies speak openly about their concerns around STIs and pregnancy scares, it looks like a lot of them aren’t doing much to reduce their chances of their fears coming true.

New data from Durex’s 2025 Australian Sex Survey reveals that 32 per cent of single Aussies didn’t use any form of protection last year. 

Last year, Body+Soul’s Sex Census found a similar trend, with only 18 per cent of singles and 15 per cent of those playing the field saying they used contraception every time they had sex. 

Why aren’t Australian singles using protection?

89 per cent of respondents said they felt confident in knowing how to avoid STIs and pregnancy, so why are so many singles not reaching for a condom despite them being easy to buy in virtually every supermarket, chemist and service station?

20 per cent said they forget to use protection, another 20 per cent said their partner doesn’t want to, and 17 per cent said they don’t like how condoms feel. 

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a woman who hasn’t heard a guy give this last reason several times in their life. While some women also don’t like how condoms feel, many have found themselves going against their own preference for protection to make their partners feel comfortable. 

20 per cent said they forget to use protection, another 20 per cent said their partner doesn’t want to, and 17 per cent said they don’t like how condoms feel. Image: Pexels

And with a third of Aussie men believing it’s okay to prioritise their own pleasure, it isn’t surprising that 40 per cent of guys also said they enjoyed sex more than their partners – the stress of potential STIs and pregnancy scares can do a lot to ruin the moment. 

Speaking to Body+Soul, sexologist Lucy Macdonald said despite some people getting nervous they might not feel the same pleasure with a condom on, "if your partner is asking you to use one and I think you can put aside it being a little bit less sensitive so you can both relax and have a good time without worrying about that.”

And with a third of Aussie men believing it’s okay to prioritise their own pleasure, it isn’t surprising that 40 per cent of guys also said they enjoyed sex more than their partners.

Only 15 per cent of women said they enjoyed sex more than their partners

Sex and Relationship Therapist, Selina Nguyen says, “This pleasure gap really speaks to how important this interplay of giving and receiving is when it comes to sexual experiences. Women tend to be more familiar in the role of giving and there can be a lot of satisfaction and pleasure in that because we get to feel like we're turning our partners on, we're sexy and we're doing a good job.” 

“In giving this pleasure to our partners, we're also receiving it back. This dynamic actually isn't gender-specific, I've had men in sessions report this as well but they tend to feel less confident in giving."

"This pleasure gap really speaks to how important this interplay of giving and receiving is when it comes to sexual experiences". Image: iStock

Gaps in sex education

Hearing your adult friends confidently share a rogue belief of ‘fact’ about sex, or have no concept of how their own body works is always a loud reminder that our sex education isn’t always great in Australia. 

Only one in ten Aussies said they thought their sex education was comprehensive, and 25 per cent said it was non-existent. Could this be why 11 per cent of respondents didn’t say they felt confident in knowing how to avoid STIs and pregnancy?

11 per cent of them said they still relied on the ‘pull out’ method, and with the transmission of preventable STIs increasing around the country, it looks like some of us need to start educating ourselves to ensure everyone's stress-free pleasure.

Originally published as Research shows 32% of Aussie singles didn’t use any form of protection last year