The question of how many people one has slept with is always a subject of curiosity, especially when it comes to dating.
We all want to know what we are getting ourselves into before starting new romantic relationships.
Sure, it is a private matter but it always comes up.
Both men and women are interested in how many sexual partners their prospective mates have had in their lifetime.
However, society sometimes puts too much pressure on women concerning this.
As such, most of them wonder what is considered a high body count.
Read on to find out what the number is…
What Is A Body Count?
Body count is a slang term for the number of sexual partners one has had in the past.
It is one of the most common terms when referring to dating stories.
The phrase came into the limelight in the 1962 Vietnam War.
Back then, the US Army used it to refer to the number of enemy soldiers killed.
However, since the late 2010s, body count has had a different meaning.
When getting into a new relationship, the body count discussion is inevitable.
Granted, there are some people that don’t care much about it but many do.
Body Count for Women
Because of the sensitivity of lifetime sexual partners one has had, many organizations, have, over the years carried out surveys on the same.
They gather willing people from different walks of life and ask them how many sexual partners they’ve had.
We have listed some of the studies and their findings below. These capture both men and women over a specified period of time.
1. YouGov
YouGov conducted a survey on the lifetime average body count for different people.
The subjects were UK residents of both genders.
The results of the survey revealed the number to be four.
The men maintained a higher body count of 5 while women claimed a number of 3.
2. CDC
CDC also carried out such a survey between 2011 and 2015.
They interviewed sexually experienced men and women between the ages of 25 and 44.
The women had a median body count of 4.2 while that of the men was 6.1.
Please note that the median only looks at women who have had some sexual partners in the past. Those that hadn’t didn’t participate in the study.
The average body count often includes them in such studies.
Nevertheless, the findings give a clue about what’s considered a high body count out there.
3. Nao Medical
According to naomedical.com, a woman in her mid-twenties has a body count of 4-8.
However, this is more of an approximate figure.
The actual number depends on an individual’s beliefs and values, relationship status, sexual education and awareness, cultural and societal norms, and personal choices and preferences.
4. Superdrug Online Doctor
To understand the sexual trends and the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Superdrug Online Doctor carried out a survey.
The team interviewed more than 2,000 people in Europe and the U.S.
Women had a lifetime average body count of 7. Men had an average of 8 partners.
5. Nectar Sleep
All the studies above reveal a high body count of fewer than 10 for women.
However, NectarSleep’s study showed an average of 19 sexual partners.
Before settling down, women admitted to sleeping with about 19 people.
The number is 26 for men, in case you are wondering.
The survey was conducted in 2018.
The survey also asked the interviewees the number that would make someone appear promiscuous to them.
Women said that a high number for them would be 15.2.
Men pointed to a number of 14, which means that any woman that has 14 or more sexual partners is considered promiscuous.
For women, the ideal number of partners in a lifetime is 7.5.
What Is Considered A High Body Count For a Woman?
As you can already tell, surveys show that women have an average body count of anywhere from 3 and 19.
Most of the studies show sexual partners of between 4 and 8.
Anything over 10 can easily be considered a high count if we go by these findings.
However, the truth is that there’s no set high body count. It varies from person to person. What is high for one can be interpreted as low for another.
For instance, a woman may have a count of 50 and not feel ashamed about it while another feels condemned with just two.
The former has a different set of values that don’t make her view a number of 50 as high.
Cultural or societal norms play a huge role in the average number of partners in people.
Some folks strongly believe that any number more than two is high.
Perhaps they grew up knowing that women aren’t supposed to sleep around.
Others are less flexible and don’t care too much about the body count thing.
A person’s choice and preferences as well as sexual education and awareness determine a high body count as well.
Then there’s the fact that people lie a lot. Despite the studies above, it is incredibly hard to pin down the right numbers.
Research has shown that both men and women generally play the cheating game when it comes to body count.
One study revealed that 32.6% of women and 41.3% of men have lied about their sexual history. The participants admitted to lying depending on the situation.
What does this mean?
It is pretty difficult to determine what a high body count is since people are dishonest.
Data is wanting. Social media stories are fake.
When you meet a person and ask them about their body count, they are more likely to lie.
What then is considered a high number? The answer is ANY NUMBER. It all depends on the individual, their location, beliefs, values, and norms.
Men ideally increase the number while women decrease it. It all comes down to how people view sex and gender.
Societal expectations (outdated) may cause men to think that they appear impressive if they’ve slept with many women.
Women, on the other hand, lower the number so as not to appear promiscuous.
All in all, a woman’s body count is a private matter and one that doesn’t define her worth.
If you are a woman, don’t be too concerned with it.
The most important thing is that you should practice safe sex. Don’t conform to societal, cultural, and individual standards.
Is There A Double Standard When It Comes To Assessing Body Count Between Men And Women?
Unfortunately, YES. Women are often judged based on their body count.
This is a deep reality in the world we live in, even in the 21st century.
Obviously, things aren’t as bad as they were a few decades back but women are often called promiscuous if they have had many sexual partners.
Those that have lost their virginity and the ones with a high body count are often shamed.
They are ranked lower in terms of attractiveness irrespective of their personality and character.
The sad news is that men are among those who have put these pressures on women when they themselves are sleeping around.
They want a high number but view women with the same number as promiscuous.
The idea of holding women to a high standard makes women pay more attention to their blood count.
Also Read: Married Woman Sleeping With a Married Man: A 360-Degree View of the Implications
Does High Body Count In Women Impact Their Chances Of A Successful Relationship?
Body count sparks different reactions from different people.
Some are bothered by it while others don’t give much energy to it.
On Quora, there are people who maintain that they cannot date a woman with lots of past sexual partners.
They worry that she has too many experiences and will compare one to another.
Also, they assume that she has a high sex drive and may cheat at some point.
However, some people have an easy time looking past the body count.
A few actually prefer it as it shows a woman is experienced in sexual matters.
It may also depict her flexibility and openness of mind. These can translate to good sex.
Body count may or may not affect a woman’s chance at a successful relationship.
If you meet a partner who doesn’t care about your past, you have a chance with them. The opposite is also true.
You may also want to read: My Wife Lied About Her Promiscuous Past: What Should I Do?
Wrap Up
It is a deeply private matter but there’s a high likelihood that it will come up at some point when a woman starts a new relationship.
What’s her body count? The truth is that no woman should feel ashamed about her past.
There’s no standard when it comes to how many sexual partners are too many.
Enjoy your life and practice safe sex!
