Sex Census finds Aussie keep love alive with hands-on approach
Australians are getting intimate less often than you might think, with only half having weekly encounters – but there's one activity that’s dominating.
When it comes to sex it seems most of us prefer to er … take matters into our own hands.
Australia’s leading health and wellness brand Body+Soul interviewed more than 2000 Australians for its 2025 Sex Census to get the most-intimate look yet into our sex lives and what turns us on – and off.
“This year’s Sex Census is a fascinating, unfiltered snapshot of what’s really happening in Aussie bedrooms, along with how the nation is navigating intimacy – the pressures, the deal breakers but also the pleasures and fantasies that continue to thrive,” Body+Soul Content Director Jacqui Mooney said.
“While last year’s top turn-on was revealed as a threesome, this year slow-burn romantic seduction came out on top, confirming that when it comes to sex Aussies are craving more than just physical pleasure.
“For frazzled Aussies, we found that sex can also be a form of self-care. Four in 10 respondents told us they’re motivated to have sex to relax or relieve stress, while 28 per cent say it boosts their mood and confidence,” Mooney said.
The Body+Soul Sex Census 2025 found 64 per cent of Australians reported being satisfied with their sex life – despite fewer than half of us having penetrative sex weekly or more.
But there is one sex act being enjoyed across the generations.
More than half of Aussies (51 per cent) said they engage in solo masturbation at least weekly, making it the most common sexual activity across the board.
Two in five Aussies (40 per cent) prioritise “outer-course” such as erotic massage, mutual masturbation, and intimate touching on a weekly basis, while one in three said they give or receive oral sex weekly or more. One in five answered “never”.
“There’s always more to sex than sex,” leading dating coach and expert Sera Bozza told news.com.au.
“Nobody walks away fulfilled because they hit a weekly quota,” she said.
“They walk away fulfilled because they feel wanted, safe, and connected. You can have plenty of “sex” and still feel empty if those ingredients are missing.
“Couples fight about frequency because it’s easier than admitting they’re disconnected. Numbers are safe. Intimacy isn’t,” she said.
One in 10 Aussie men reported pleasuring themselves daily, while 65 per cent said they partake in the solo actively on a weekly basis, compared with 38 per cent of women.
“It makes sense that masturbation tops the charts, Ms Bozza said.
“It’s reliable, it’s private, and it doesn’t judge. It also exposes something uncomfortable: a lot of partnered sex is performance. If sex with someone else feels like a chore or a scoreboard, people retreat to the one place they can’t be disappointed: themselves.
“Men and women often use sex differently. Men, more often, for stress relief. Women often need the emotional connection first before desire kicks in. Neither is wrong. They’re just nervous systems wired differently. Solo sex doesn’t compete with intimacy unless you let it. The couples who talk about desire, fantasy, boredom, and needs, without shame, end up having more of both.
“In fact, for some, masturbation is the most honest sex they’ll ever have. Nobody fakes an orgasm alone,” she said.
When it comes to the physical act itself – one in four Aussies said the deed typically lasts six minutes or less – and that’s not including the five to 14 minutes spent on foreplay.
But for one in six of us, sex usually lasts 20 minutes or more, with that number rising to one in four among the LGBTQI+ community.
And when it comes to the big O – men reported being three times more like to orgasm every time they have penetrative sex compared with women.
Gen Z are the most-sexually active generation, with only Millennials reporting having more penetrative sex weekly (62 per cent of Millennials compared with 60 per cent of Gen Z).
Almost 40 per cent of Boomers reported to still having penetrative sex weekly, while a quarter revealed they engaged in oral sex weekly.
But far from being selfish lovers, nine in 10 Aussies said their partner’s pleasure is the most important part of sex, with women more likely than men (82 per cent vs. 72 per cent) to value emotional intimacy.
The Sex Census found more than half of all Australians across all adult age demographics reported either being married or in a committed relationship, with one in five Gen Zers – those born between 1997 and 2012 – almost twice as likely to be single or dating.
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A finding that didn’t surprise Ms Bozza.
“Partnership is still the default software,” she said.
“What’s changed is the timeline and the tolerance for bullshit. Gen Z grew up watching their parents’ divorces and thought, “Maybe let’s not rush into that.” They’re not anti-commitment. They’re anti … wasting-years-on-someone-who-isn’t-it.”
