Sex Before Marriage Statistics [95% have tried it]

By Bedbible Research Center / February 25, 2022

Premarital sex, also referred to as voluntary sexual intercourse between persons before marriage, is increasing worldwide. Although religious beliefs, traditional values, and certain laws of some countries continue to advise abstinence until marriage, the rapid societal development and changes during the past decades have resulted in today’s growing prevalence and acceptability of this sexual activity.

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What is Premarital Sex?

Premarital sex refers to the sexual activity practiced by individuals before marriage. This is considered a moral issue in previous times by various religions. It then became acceptable in the 1960s starting in Western countries.

Despite the fact that there are countries that still believe that this sexual activity is morally unacceptable, sex before marriage has become less taboo nowadays. It is important that people who are indulged in premarital sex must learn how to be responsible and knowledgeable on how to make it safe.

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

  • 69% of Americans think that premarital sex is morally acceptable
  • 28% of Americans state that they think sex before marriage is morally wrong
  • 95% of Americans have indulged in premarital sex by the age of 44
  • 9 out of 10 people in Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, and Turkey believed that engaging in sex before marriage was not acceptable
  • 8 out of 10 have had sex at the age of 20
  • Health impact on sex before marriage: Suicide, Depression, Loss of Self-respect, Regression, STDs
  • Sexual quality is 15% higher if you wait til marriage than people who have indulged in premarital sex

Statistics on Insights If Sex Between An Unmarried Man and Woman Is Morally Acceptable or Morally Wrong

  • 69% of Americans think that premarital sex is morally acceptable
  • 28% of Americans state that they think sex before marriage is morally wrong
  • 1% of Americans have no opinion if sex before marriage is morally acceptable or morally wrong

Statistics on Premarital Sex as a Norm in America

  • 75% of Americans have had premarital sex by age of 20
  • 95% of Americans have indulged in premarital sex by age of 44
  • 81% of those who abstained from sex until the age of 20 or older, have had sex before marriage by the age of 44
  • 1 in 54 Americans still oppose premarital sex
  • 25% of Americans feel that sex between unmarried adults in a committed relationship is not acceptable

Statistics on Premarital Sex in the US, by age group

  • 18-24 years old (65%)
  • 25-34 years old (76%)
  • 35-44 years old (83%)
  • 45-54 years old (86%)
  • 55-64 years old (84%)

Statistics on Premarital Sex, based on Religions

  • 57% of Christians stated that sex between unmarried adults in a relationship is sometimes or always acceptable, including:
  • 67% of mainline Protestants
  • 64% of Catholics
  • 57% of Protestants
  • 46% of Evangelical Protestants

Statistics on Global Views on Premarital Sex, 2013

  • 9 out of 10 people in Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, and Turkey believed that engaging in sex before marriage was not acceptable
  • The majority of the Europeans believed that premarital sex is morally acceptable or not a moral issue at all
  • In the US, 29% of people consider the act of having sex before marriage as morally wrong while 20% deemed that getting a divorce is also morally unacceptable

Health Impacts of Premarital Sex Among Adolescents

  • Abortion
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Guilt
  • Regrets
  • Depression
  • Loss of Self-respect
  • Suicide
  • Abuse of Substance

Factors Associated with an Increased Odds of Premarital Sex

  • Pornography
  • Sexual stimulant use
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Non-medical use of prescription drugs
  • Peer premarital sex

Statistics on the Benefits of Delaying Sex Until Marriage

Studies show that individuals who waited to have sex until marriage:

  • stated that sexual quality is 15% higher than people who have indulged in premarital sex
  • rated satisfaction with their relationships 20% higher
  • rated the stability of the relationship as 22% higher

Risk Factors for Teen Sex

  • Alcohol and drug use
  • Lack of little parental monitoring
  • A steady boyfriend or girlfriend
  • A parental belief that adolescent sex is okay and appropriate
  • A parental belief that adolescent sex is inevitable.
  • A history of sexual or physical abuse.
  • Frequent family relations
  • Low grade or low attachment to school
  • Single parent in the household
  • Little parental monitoring

Real Reasons For Indulging Sex Before Marriage

The following are the top practical explanations for why there are more sexually active individuals before marriage:

Contraception
Due to the wider use and availability of contraceptives, more women are not afraid of unwanted pregnancies.
Reduced parental supervision
Teens become more prone to sexual activities when their parents are both working full-time.
Early sexual maturation of women and later marrying age
More women are getting independent and married late nowadays compared to the previous years who did not mature reproductively until the age of 16.
More gender equality in jobs
Women become freer in controlling themselves as they become more economically independent.
More women in the workforce
As more and more women become more involved in careers and the workforce, the number of single, unmarried women is also on the rise.