British girls have had an average of nine sexual partners by age of 21

British survey reveals young women more promiscuous than men

YOUNG women are no longer just lying back and thinking of England, they are actively seeking out sexual partners - even more so than men.

A survey has revealed young British women are more promiscuous than their male counterparts and more likely to be unfaithful.

The study of 2000 women in the UK, commissioned by More magazine, found that by the age of 21, women have had an average of nine sexual partners - two more than their male partner.

It also found a quarter of young women have slept with more than 10 partners in the first five years since losing their virginity, compared with 20 per cent of young men.

More magazine editor Lisa Smosarski said: "Our results show today's twenty-something women are taking control of their sex lives and getting what they want in bed."

The average age at which respondents lost their virginity was 16.

More than half of respondents said they were not in love with the person they lost their virginity to and only 32 per cent believed it was important to be in love with someone before they had sex with them.

But if a woman met someone she really liked, 56 per cent would make him wait "a month or more" before she would have sex with him.

Of the women surveyed, 50 per cent admitted they had cheated on a partner and half of those had been unfaithful at least twice.

Only 25 per cent said they had a partner who cheated on them.

If a man did cheat, 99 per cent of young women would dump him.

Indicating the influence of Britain's tabloid newspapers, 60 per cent of women said they would "kiss and tell" for money if they had a one-night stand with someone famous.

The survey results were released less than a fortnight after an academic study found British citizens were the most promiscuous of any large western industrial nation.

Source: AAP