1 in 4 men don't use condoms during one night stands

pulse

August 24, 2017 12:24 PM

The same survey finds that 14 percent of Americans never practice safe sex at all.

condoms

Casual hookups aren’t all that taboo anymore—in fact, 35 percent of Americans have had a one-night stand, according to new YouGov survey of more than 2,000 men and women.

While there are countless things running through your mind during a random romp, using a condom should top that list—but according to the survey, 1 in 4 men have had unprotected sex during a one night stand.

What’s more, 14 percent of Americans reported never practicing safe sex, the survey found. And unfortunately, past research backs up their results. Only one third of men said they used a condom during the last time they had sex, according to a recent report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

While unprotected sex always comes with risks, they’re that much higher with casual partners. If you’ve been with your partner long enough, you may feel more comfortable talking to them about using other forms of protection, like the pill, once you’ve both been tested for STDs.

But with a one-night stand, it’s easy to get lost in the moment. If you don’t really know the person, asking questions about their sexual history can get awkward and even kill the mood—but that shouldn’t take priority over your health.

That’s why using a condom is so crucial. It’s one of the easiest ways to protect you (and your partner) from transmission of diseases like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other STDs.

Plus, wrapping it up can help prevent unintended pregnancies. According to the survey, 33 percent of adults have used the “pull out method” during sex, but withdrawal can be a risky form of birth control if you don’t do it perfectly.

So why are people avoiding condoms in the first place? Sixteen percent of adults have skipped the glove because their partner didn’t like how it felt, the survey found.

But until you feel completely comfortable with a single partner, forgoing protection shouldn’t be an option. The fix? Finding a condom you actually like and using a little lube (like this one from the Men’s Health store) will keep your hookups sexy and safe.

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