Keeping the spark alive in the bedroom has long been hailed as the key to marital happiness.
But a groundbreaking Mail survey of more than a thousand people shows that sexual attraction is no longer the key ingredient to a happy marriage, and that a lack of intimacy doesn’t automatically mean going to divorce court.
An astonishing 78 percent of the 452 married people who took the survey said they would not leave their spouse if they no longer desired him sexually.
It may come as no surprise that 66 percent of them were between the ages of 45 and 54.
But it’s not just older couples who have long since completed their honeymoon who feel this way.
An astonishing 78 percent of the 452 married people who took part in the survey said they would not leave their partner if they no longer desired him sexually (Stock Image)
A whopping 67 percent of married couples aged 25 to 34 agreed, as did 63 percent of married couples aged 35 to 44 and 38 percent of couples aged 18 to 24.
In stark contrast to societal stereotypes about how men and women view sex, more men supported this sentiment than women: 84 percent of men said they would not leave their partner if the sexual spark disappeared, compared to 73 percent of women. .
And only 7 percent of men in all relationship types believed that a healthy sex life is the most important ingredient of a successful marriage, while 54 percent of those who asked for the most respect.
The survey, which was commissioned by Femail magazine, also found that many young people are still not convinced about marriage; 33 percent of people between the ages of 25 and 34 say they don’t believe the institute is that relevant today.
Many young people are still unconvinced about marriage, with 33 percent of people aged 25 to 34 saying they don’t believe the institution is that relevant today (Stock Image)
And only 36 percent of all survey participants said they unconditionally believe that marriage is meant to last “until death do us part.”
Of respondents who have never been married, 44 percent said they did not want to get married, a sentiment supported by 53 percent of 35- to 44-year-olds.
A total of 1,012 British adults aged 18 and over took part in the Mail survey, which was carried out by polling firm Survation.
It comes amid falling marriage rates and rising divorce rates.
According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of marriages fell by almost 37 percent in the three decades between 1989 and 2019.
And for the first time in 2020, there were more divorces than weddings, although this was largely due to the impact of Covid restrictions on ceremonies.
Marriage rates fell to the lowest since 1862: 7.4 per 1,000 unmarried men married and 7 per 1,000 unmarried women.
Meanwhile, there were 8.5 divorces per 1,000 married men and 8.6 per 1,000 married women.
The May statistics also showed how men waited until they were 35 before they could walk down the aisle, as rising rents and wedding costs – as well as a rise in cohabitation – caused couples to postpone their big day.