By Bethany Fehlinger | UWIRE | 7/30/2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –
A recent national survey found that men have more
sexual partners in their lifetimes and are more likely to
do drugs, but women are catching up.
Patricia Koch, a biobehavioral health and women
studies professor at Pennsylvania State University,
said even though socialization has encouraged men
to take more risks, women have started to branch out
and be more independent in the past decade.
Koch said this independence, along with the need to
adapt male work ethics, has caused women to start
adopting the poor habits of men, such as smoking,
drinking alcohol and engaging in risky sexual
behavior.
“Women seem to be trying to catch up to men,” she
added.
According to the June survey, 29 percent of men
reported they had 15 or more female sexual partners
in their lifetime, while 9 percent of women reported to
have 15 or more male sexual partners.
Men also have a greater tendency to try cocaine and
other street drugs compared to women, according to
the survey, titled “Drug Use and Sexual Behaviors
Reported by Adults: United States, 1999-2002.”
The survey was conducted by the National Center for
Health Statistics – a branch of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention .
Koch said because of socialization, men also tend to
exaggerate their sexuality while females usually
under-report their sexual past. She said for surveys
like this, men tend to round up while women tend to
round down.
“However, most people don’t have an exact
scorecard,” Koch added.
Sophomore Tim Dolan agreed that the numbers are
probably more equal despite what the survey said, but
men may be more open to talk about it.
Males seem to brag or exaggerate about sexual
experiences more, sophomore Chris Gill said.
“If females have a lot of sex, they are labeled as a
whore,” Gill said, “but if guys do it, they are called a
pimp or player and get more respect.”
Junior Alison Stubbs and junior Christine Smith said
they think for college students, the number of sexual
partners is probably equal.
Stubbs said she did a survey for her statistics class
about sexuality. She said her results were not as
drastic as the national survey.
“It does take two to tango,” she said.
A Penn State survey from 2004 to 2005 found that in a
12-month span, most students, both male and
female, had one sexual partner or none at all, said
Susan Kennedy, associate director of University
Health Services.
Koch said at Penn State, there is a wide variety of
students from different backgrounds and religions
and those who have different goals and influences for
their sexuality. She said some students chose not to
have any sexual partners during their time at college,
some limit their number of partners and some decide
to be more experimental.
Drinking is part of this college atmosphere, and Koch
said people stereotypically think others are more
interested in sex because of its influence; however,
drinking decreases a person’s ability to make a
decision.
According to a 2006 Penn State Pulse survey
titled “Student Drinking,” the number of students who
reported that they engaged in unplanned sexual
activity as a consequence of drinking alcohol
increased 10.3 percent from 2004. Also, the number
of students who did not use protection while engaging
in sex doubled from 2004, according to the survey.
Koch said some students may drink to let go of their
inhibitions, but the connection between alcohol and
sexual activity can be complex.
