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According to Rutgers’ newly released Sexual Health Monitor, The Dutch are positive about sexual health and rights. A vast majority believes that consent should always be checked, and that sexuality education in schools should be mandatory. But there are also worrisome outcomes.
The Sexual Health Monitor 2023 surveyed 15,000 Dutch people and found a positive attitude towards sexual health and rights. A vast majority believes that consent should always be checked (94%) and that a women should be free to decide on abortion (86%). 88% says that sexuality education in schools should be mandatory.
The Monitor also reveals worrisome outcomes: condom and pill use is declining. Condoms are being omitted more and more, even if this is a one-night stand or casual partner. Luc Lauwers, head of Rutgers’ Dutch department says: “To make informed policies, we must continue to monitor sexual health attitudes and behaviors. Especially in times of increasing disinformation. It is therefore crucial that the government continues to invest in research, sexual health and rights”, he says.
The Dutch on contraceptives, hormones and STI’s
Of those for whom the last sex partner was a one-night stand, 43% of men and 56% of women with this partner did not use a condom. Slightly more women (33%) than men (27%) have ever been tested for STIs. In the past 12 months, 4% of men and 6% of women have been tested for an STI.
The use of the contraceptive pill has decreased from 30% to 24% over the past six years among women aged 18 to 49 who have ever had vaginal sex. On the other hand, more women are using IUDs: this number has increased from 17% in 2017 to 21% in 2023. Of women aged 18 to 49 who do not use contraceptives at all, one in three say it is because they do not want to use hormones.
Dating apps and sexting
Dating apps remain popular in The Netherlands, with one in ten people using one in the last six months. This usage has remained consistent since 2017, particularly among young adults aged 18 to 40.
Sexting is also prevalent, with one in twelve Dutch people having sent sexually explicit images in the past six months. Attitudes towards sexting have evolved. While half of all Dutch people believe it is not one’s fault if an explicit image is shared online, this percentage has increased significantly among those over 25. Hanneke: “This is an important and a positive change: it is a growing recognition that sharing someone’s intimate images without consent is a form of sexual transgressive behavior. The blame should lie with the person forwarding the images.”
Sexual violence remains high
Sexual violence remains a serious problem in The Netherlands. 24% of women and 5% of men have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. Most experiences of sexual violence occurred when these people were between the ages of 18 and 21. This group is as large as it was six years ago.
Sexual diversity and tolerance
Among men, 8% are not exclusively attracted to women; among women, 16% are not exclusively attracted to men. This percentage is the same for men as in 2017, slightly higher for women. Overall, 1.4% of respondents are transgender or non-binary. This percentage has remained the same among adults since 2017.
Bullying and threats against LGBTQ+ individuals remain high. Hanneke: “Worryingly, about a quarter of LGBTQ+ persons aged 25 and older have been chastised for sexual orientation in the past year. One in five has been bullied and one in ten has been threatened.”
“To make informed policies, we must continue to monitor sexual health attitudes and behaviors. Especially in times of increasing disinformation. It is therefore crucial that the government continues to invest in research, sexual health and rights”
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Sexual behavior: frequency, partners and solo
More than seven in ten adults in the Netherlands had sex with someone in the past six months. Most people (86% of men and 89% of women) were in a steady relationship with their last sex partner. The percentage of people having sex decreases slightly in the 55- to 70-year-old group and decreases sharply from 70 years of age. Solo sex is also most common among 18- to 40-year-olds.
Men masturbate more often than women: 51% of men do so at least every week, compared to 17% of women. The same goes for watching porn, with 74% of men watching porn in the past six months, compared to 29% of women. This is unchanged from 2017.
Four out of five enjoys sex very much
Both men and women rate their sex lives an average of 7. Four out of five people (80%) say they enjoy sex very much. However, the group that is satisfied with their sex life is a lot smaller (56%). It is possible that people are more satisfied with the quality than the quantity of their sex life. For example, three-quarters of people (75%) are satisfied with the level of connection with the other person during sex, while less than half (48%) are satisfied with how often they have sex.
“Sexual health is essential for people’s well-being’’, says Hanneke. ‘’It is much more than just physical health; it affects our relationships, our self-image and our hearts. Sexual health should not only be about protection of diseases and unwanted pregnancies, but also about pleasure and happiness’’.
About the survey
The Monitor Sexual Health is conducted by Rutgers, in collaboration with RIVM and CBS. The Monitor surveyed 15,000 Dutch adults aged 18 to 80. Participants completed a questionnaire on sexual health and related topics between September 2022 and February 2023. CBS conducted the fieldwork and weighted the data, ensuring the sample represents the Dutch population. This survey follows previous iterations conducted in 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2017
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