A new study led by Florida University found that women report more satisfying intimate encounters when they are married, as opposed to when they have casual sex outside of a committed relationship.
Married women have 15 percent more orgasms than single women, and they have a 10% higher sexual satisfaction rate overall.
These results come as no surprise to me, as it is not likely a one-night stand, especially a drunken one-night stand, is going to offer much pleasure to women.
For men, orgasm is often a guarantee when it comes to intercourse, but the same isn’t true for women. While women can enjoy multiple orgasms and deep sexual pleasure, they need a committed sexual partner who is going to put effort and intention into her needs as well as his own. They also generally need to feel safe before they can open up and enjoy sexual pleasure without inhibition, and for many women, it will be difficult to be open and vulnerable around a total stranger.
Not only does casual sex come with a higher physical risk for women (including unwanted pregnancy and a higher risk of STDs), but it also comes with a higher emotional risk.
Even if you go in expecting to have no emotional connection, sex can do funny things to you, especially if you are a woman. When we experience orgasm, our brains flood with oxytocin, a chemical in the brain that establishes feelings of intimacy. It is believed that higher levels of testosterone in the male brain combat the impact of oxytocin, which explains why men might be able to have casual sex with less emotional connection.
Women, on the other hand, might find that causal sex feels far from casual. I always say: Don’t have sex with someone you don’t want to fall in love with…because that just might happen!