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 Recent studies show that Generation Y are having more sexual partners than any other generation. Is this just a part of the 21st Century- are we living amongst prudes, or is there more to casual sex than meets the eye?

 Kate* accepts his awkward embrace and shares one last kiss before stepping outside, shutting the door behind her. She sighs, shielding her eyes from the light, it feels like every shot she had last night is pounding against her skull. High heels in one hand she potters down the street, self-consciously pulling at her little black dress. She keeps her head down, walking as quickly as possible. She feels that everyone is looking at her- her hot black dress doesn’t look that hot at eight ‘o’clock on a Sunday morning. Images from last night blur her mind: a montage of drinks, dancing, and what-his name…Matt? Finally she reaches her front door, shakes her head at her house-mates knowing smirk and locks herself in her bedroom to sleep it off.

Sound familiar? Maybe it was your Sunday morning? Something you did when you were younger? Something you avoid at all costs?

Recent studies from the La Trobe University say that there has been a growing trend in young people in participating in casual sex with one or more partners. Although casual sex isn’t a new concept (60’s flower children anyone?), Generation Y is enjoying and accepting it a lot younger and more frequently.

“Casual sex is like having a toss with company, its’ sole purpose is to get you off,” says 20 year old student, Jared Black.

Although Jared says he’s never had a one night stand, he is currently is a casual sexual relationship.

“It works well for me at the moment, because I just got out of a serious relationship and didn’t want to get involved with anyone. We both know where we stand so no one gets hurt. I’m really busy with uni and work that I don’t really have the time for a serious girlfriend and my mates- so this way I get the best of both worlds,” said Jared Black.

Lack of time may be one of the biggest reasons casual sex is so prevalent amongst Generation Y. Characterised as being multi-taskers and more busy than previous generations, Generation Y is finding it hard to make time for serious relationships, shows a survey taken of people aged 18-25.

But is casual sex a problem or is it a solution?

“It’s hard to say. On one hand I’m all for the sexual revolution, free love ideals of the 1960′s. Then on the other hand no one wants a bunch of sluts running around demoralising our society. So I think in that way casual sex is bad for society because it’s just reinforcing the cycle of low self-esteem and you can even say it perpetuates the degrading of women. Guys can be quite dense so if one girl gives it up easy because she believes casual sex is the way to go, it ruins it for the rest of us,” said 21 year old student Kordey Clottey.

Kordey doesn’t believe in casual sex, and doesn’t understand why people engage in it.

“Of course you get sex but like it’s with someone you don’t even know who doesn’t know you from a bar or soap or doesn’t really care about you or anything you have to say. All that matters is what’s between your legs pretty much. It’s weird, I don’t understand it. I could never do it. I’d feel like a prostitute who just didn’t get paid,” said Kordey, flicking her long dark hair over her shoulder.

Although he says he feels he has to be in a serious relationship to have a sexual relationship with someone, Jacob Barnes says he doesn’t judge his friends that do have casual sex and one night stands.

“I know my friends support casual sex. After all, sex is sex to them. I don’t judge them, it’s their choice. When we were all in High School together it felt like everyone was doing it, but while I never judged them, I knew it just wasn’t for me,” said 20 year old projectionist Jacob Barnes.

So maybe not everyone is doing it, though you’d have to guess they are the minority. All anyone has to do is go to Glasshouse on a Wednesday night and no one would doubt that Generation Y is “putting out” more than any other generation.

 But why?

“It could be said that because we are often brought up to see sex outside of a long term, serious relationship as wrong, we develop a sense of casual sex being more exciting, a feeling that it is naughty or an act of rebellion that can be very appealing,” says AID’s awareness organisation Avert.

So if sex is just sex to us then why is casual sex still seen as the dirty laundry you hide from everyone?

One word: chlamydia.

STI’s such as chlamydia have been described as a “mini epidemic” by doctors. Nearly every type of STI has increased in prevalence, with the most common chlamydia, increasing in number by 300 per cent in the last nine years. Doctors estimate that Generation Y is the highest group infected, with one in ten having a sexual infection.

Sexual health professionals have said that the dramatic increase in STI’s is largely because young people are having sex earlier, and with more partners that any previous generation.

Although waking up from a drunken one night stand with a side of chlamydia is something to think about, there is a lot more too casual sex then a possible rash.

Through High School Kate was known for her partying and was well known for getting on better with the boys.

“I never really had many girl friends at High School, I think they were jealous of the attention the guys gave me,” she says.

If only they knew the truth. For years Kate struggled with depression and self esteem issues, and used alcohol and sex as a way to feel good about herself.

“I’d feel so good when I was lying there in his arms, and then morning would come and so would the awkwardness or the rumours or the silent treatment. So I’d drink to make myself feel better and the cycle would start again. I was in self destruct mode, it took me a long time to get out of the cycle,” she says.

Avert says this is common, especially in women who have casual sex.

“People often think that as casual sex doesn’t have the emotional ties that a long term relationship does, there is less chance of getting hurt emotionally. Casual sex offers only a moment of emotional intimacy. It has been seen in various studies that not having close emotional bonds and only pursuing causal encounters with various partners can lead to signs of depression and low self-esteem, especially amongst young women,” says Avert.

Casual sex, friends with benefits, lovers- whatever you want to call it, it is just sex. Purely physical, void of emotion- sex. Although a lot of the judgment from society seems to be gone, the judgment we impose on ourselves is what we really have to listen to and respect.

“It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt,” giggles Kate.

*Name has been changed.

For more information on sexual health visit sexual health clinics and the sexual heath network. 

On more information on casual sex see How to Have Casual Sex.