Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
BBC News - Saturday, 26 October, 2002
And 60% of those questioned for a poll believe prostitution should be legalised.
But almost a quarter of respondents to the survey of more than 1,000 Britons said gay sex should be made illegal.
One in three Scots in a long-term relationship admitted to having had at least one affair, according to the survey published in the Observer newspaper.
And the Welsh were found to have had an above average number of sexual partners at 13 - rather than the UK average of 10.
Sexual health
Londoners were the most faithful with only 7% having cheated on their partner.
Almost one in three Scots said they would sleep their way to promotion or a pay rise - the average across the UK was 18%.
The findings from the Observer/ICM poll used a confidential questionnaire in August.
A total of 1,027 people aged 16 and above were questioned confidentially about they viewed sex in the 21st century for the Observer/ICM poll.
When asked about sexual health, nearly a third admitted they did not practise safe sex with a new partner.
The same was true for 31% who had been tested for HIV.
Robert Yates, editor of the Observer special magazine supplement Sex Uncovered, said: "They [findings] reveal a population with complex and changing attitudes to all aspects of their sex lives".
He said the poll was taken at a time when British culture has arguably been at its most liberal and tolerant towards sex.
"Whether this has led to greater freedom for individuals, or to a growth in anxiety about their own sex lives, is something that this supplement aims to uncover."
The full results of the poll are published in The Observer.
021026
BB021019
Copyright © 2002 - BBC. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BBC.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
.