Sex without pleasure? Most in Malta see sex as an ‘act between two’

Forget pleasure, threesomes or orgies – most people in Malta see sex simply as an act between two people. A new study by the University of Malta and Willingness Clinic delves into the sexual behaviours of the Maltese islands, focusing on how people view sex, with whom they talk about it, and overall sexual satisfaction.

When asked to define ‘sex’, the most common response was “a sexual act between two people”. While the non-gendered aspect suggests a more accepting attitude towards same-sex relationships, researchers pointed out that this definition excludes practices such as threesomes or orgies, as well as other aspects of intimacy and pleasure that may be derived from the sexual act.

Another common answer was sex as an “act of love”, which researchers said could be influenced by the Catholic Church’s cultural and moral authority in Malta.

Apart from defining the term, researchers asked participants whether they were comfortable talking about sex with their partner or friends. Most said they are very comfortable talking about sex with their partner, but fewer participants shared the same sentiment with their friends – although women were slightly more comfortable talking about sex with their friends than men were.

However, the study did not ask whether participants felt comfortable discussing sexual matters with medical professionals or family members.

Those who feel comfortable talking about sex with their partners turned out to be more satisfied with their sex life, suggesting that communication about sexual concerns, needs, and desires can improve sexual satisfaction. Here, researchers suggested nationwide campaigns to help normalise talking about sex with friends and partners as a means of improving sexual health and wellbeing.

Frequent sex could also be the key to a better sex life. According to the study, higher reported sexual frequency is linked to greater sexual satisfaction, with most participants not wanting to have more sex than they already have. Women in Malta seem to be slightly more satisfied than men with their sex life, although this is in line with more general research.

However, the youngest participants in the study reported having the most sex, while the oldest group reported having the least. There was also a noticeable decrease in frequency in the 26-55 age group. While older people may have less sex due to the loss of a partner or age-related physical and mental health issues, those between 26-55 years old might be having less sex due to child-rearing activities.

When it comes to the duration of sex, the study did not find any significant correlation with sexual satisfaction. The majority of participants said they take between 26 and 45 minutes to have sex, although the average time is 27 minutes.

Furthermore, it is men who seem to last longer in bed at 28 minutes. Women reported lasting 25 minutes. Overall, those who were more satisfied in bed tended to last 27 minutes. Those not satisfied at all with their sex life tended to last around 15 minutes on average. However, these results were not statistically significant.

The researchers involved in the study were Matthew Bartolo, Danica Cassar, Arianna Miclet from Willingness, and Vincent Marmara from the University of Malta.