Condom-maker finds Canada's kinky side

October 15 , 2004 - by Tom Spears

Nearly three-quarters of adult Canadians use vibrators, handcuffs, costumes, blindfolds, role-playing or spanking during sex.

And more than half of us snuggle down as couples to watch pornographic videos. Ohhhhhhh, Canada!

This country may as well throw away the Victorian cliches right now, the annual sex survey from the Durex condom company shows. Only 27% of adults here do not use pornography, sex toys or handcuffs, which puts our love of sexual technology among the highest in the world. And our ownership of vibrators - 39% of adults here own at least one - is way over the global average of 27% but well behind Iceland - 52% - and Britain at 49%. In Canada, 45% of women and 33% of men own a vibrator or "intimate massager."

"People don't talk about it too much, but there is a higher proclivity of ownership than people would normally think," said Durex brand manager Kimberley Liss. "Also interesting is that 61% of all people surveyed between the ages of 45 and 55 either won or have a partner that owns a vibrator," she added.

One quarter of us take photos or videos of our partners during sex - behind the Brits and Danes, at 29%/30%, but ahead of lovers in most countries.

Canadians, meanwhile, rate pretty high on the sexual activity scale: We have sex on average 108 times a year. The global average is 103, but it ranges from the randy French (137) down to the repressed, or maybe just exhausted, Japanese (46).

Durex's annual Global Sex Survey is conducted on the company's website, which may skew the results to those cruising the Internet for sex information. It drew 350,000 responses from 41 countries.

And what do we find sexy?

If everyone told Durex the truth, we'd pick a grey-haired, retired professor with no money over a rich young blonde with a great body every time, as long as the professor had the right personality.
Given a long list of physical attributes from eyes to bottoms, Canadians picked "attitude" ahead of any body part. Seventeen per cent are attracted to attitude - or claim they are - compared with 16% for eyes, 11% the overall face, 10% fo a toned body or a chest ( including breasts ), and fewer than 10% for all the rest.
Youthfulness, wealth and hair colour drew no votes in the list of sexiest features.

Five per cent of us claim we're drawn first and foremost to intelligence

In other findings: In Canada, 54% say they worry about contacting AIDS, and 30% worry about unintended pregnancy. Yet 42% have had unprotected sex with a partner even though then knew nothing about that person's sexual or medical history.

Durex does not attempt to verify any claims in the survey.

Can West News Service - Ottawa Citizen