Does Body Count Matter? | The Truth About Promiscuity

This episode is about whether body count matters — and whether promiscuity carries different consequences for women and men.

A person’s sexual history does not determine their human worth. Yet research links higher numbers of sexual partners with sexual-health risks, emotional regret, substance dependence, marriage stability, marital happiness, and divorce.

Women face greater reproductive vulnerability from untreated sexually transmitted infections and report substantially more regret after casual sex. Men carry a considerable STI burden of their own, whilst multiple sexual partners have been associated with later alcohol and drug dependence.

I discuss pelvic inflammatory disease, casual-sex regret, Australian STI notifications, the University of Otago’s Dunedin cohort, premarital partners, divorce, marriage stability, marital happiness, and the sexual double standard.

Promiscuity may be celebrated in the moment. Its consequences can arrive years later.

– CHAPTERS –

00:00 Does Body Count Matter?
00:30 Why I am Discussing Promiscuity
01:26 Women: STIs & Reproductive Harm
03:30 Women: Casual-Sex Regret
06:06 Men: The STI Burden
08:18 Men: Partners & Substance Dependence
10:40 Promiscuity, Marriage & Divorce
12:05 Very High Marriage Stability: 45% vs 14%
13:01 Women’s Marital Happiness: 65% vs 52%
14:29 Does Promiscuity Explain Divorce Initiation?
15:52 Change, Trauma & Impulse Control
16:40 The Sexual Double Standard
17:22 Sexual Access: Men vs Women
18:20 Final Thoughts

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Disclaimer: This video is commentary and personal opinion. It is not financial, legal, psychological, medical, or relationship advice.

Support: If you are in crisis, contact your local crisis line or emergency services. In Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Outside Australia, find a local helpline through Befrienders Worldwide. If life is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

#ExistentialEvan #BodyCount #Promiscuity

– REFERENCES –

Women’s Sexual & Reproductive Health:

Better Health Channel. (2022, October 28). Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). State Government of Victoria. https://www.betterhealth.vic.g....ov.au/health/healthy

Van Gerwen, O. T., Muzny, C. A., & Marrazzo, J. M. (2022). Sexually transmitted infections and female reproductive health. Nature Microbiology, 7(8), 1116–1126. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-022-01177-x

Casual Sex & Regret:

Galperin, A., Haselton, M. G., Frederick, D. A., Poore, J., von Hippel, W., Buss, D. M., & Gonzaga, G. C. (2013). Sexual regret: Evidence for evolved sex differences. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(7), 1145–1161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-0019-3

McKeen, B. E., Anderson, R. C., & Mitchell, D. A. (2022). Was it good for you? Gender differences in motives and emotional outcomes following casual sex. Sexuality & Culture, 26(4), 1339–1359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-09946-w

Sexual Health & Substance Dependence:

King, J., Kwon, J. A., Gray, R., McManus, H., & McGregor, S. (2025). HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia: Annual surveillance report 2025. Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney. https://www.kirby.unsw.edu.au/....research/reports/asr

Ramrakha, S., Paul, C., Bell, M. L., Dickson, N., Moffitt, T. E., & Caspi, A. (2013). The relationship between multiple sex partners and anxiety, depression, and substance dependence disorders: A cohort study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(5), 863–872. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-0053-1

Marriage Stability, Happiness & Divorce:

Smith, J., & Wolfinger, N. H. (2024). Re-examining the link between premarital sex and divorce. Journal of Family Issues, 45(3), 674–696. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X231155673

Willoughby, B. J., Carroll, J. S., Dover, C., & Sullivan, J. T. (2023). The myth of sexual experience: Why sexually inexperienced dating couples actually go on to have stronger marriages. Wheatley Institute. https://wheatley.byu.edu/the-m....yth-of-sexual-experi

Wolfinger, N. H. (2018, October 22). Does sexual history affect marital happiness? Institute for Family Studies. https://ifstudies.org/blog/doe....s-sexual-history-aff

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