The survey shows that close to half (47%) of couples have relations at least once a week, more than couples in most of the rest of the Western world.
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMANUpdated: FEBRUARY 7, 2019 02:42Institute director-general Osnat Harel(photo credit: Courtesy)
Israeli couples have a lot of sex, according to a survey by the Adler Institute in Kfar Saba.The annual survey of more than 500 married couples with at least one child was released on Tuesday.The survey shows that close to half (47%) of couples have relations at least once a week, more than couples in most of the Western world.A study of more than 20,000 US couples by Dr. David Schnarch found that only 26% are hitting the once-a-week mark, with most of the respondents reporting having sex only once or twice a month. Other studies, however – such as one done in 2008 by the University of Chicago Press – showed that married couples are having sex about seven times a month, which is a little less than twice a week.According to the Adler study, around one third of couples (34.4%) have intercourse once or twice per week, 8.8% three to five times per week and 4% do it daily. Some 18% have sex less than once weekly.Does all this sex help Israeli couples fight less? Not according to the statistics.More than a fifth (21.3%) of couples said that they fight at least once or twice per week and 15.1% said they fight at least once a month.Couples, according to the study, quarrel largely over balancing work and home activities (32.1%) and over issues with their children (25.5%). Some 14% say they fight about finances.Despite the fighting, the study found that four-fifths (80%) of Israeli couples are very satisfied with their relationships and enjoy spending time together. Some 22.7% go out together at least once a week, 31.1% go out less than once a week but more than once a month, and 24.5% go out together up to once per month.However, Israeli couples say they rarely speak to each other face-to-face – presumably outside of their outings and sexual encounters.
Regarding their preferred means of communication, more than three-fifths (60.8%) of Israeli couples say they do not communicate directly but rather via WhatsApp or phone calling (33.3% WhatsApp, 25.1% mobile calls, 2.4% landline calls and 38.4% face-to-face).And nearly all Israelis (90%) perceive themselves as being good or very good parents.Institute director-general Osnat Harel said Adler conducts a survey annually to better understand parents’ attitudes about their relationships.“The home is the training ground for life – and the children absorb the atmosphere, values and beliefs, and from this develop their own style,” Harel said. “The surveys we conduct each year enable us to build programs… to help people improve and grow in their relationships.”The survey included a representative sample of the adult, Hebrew-speaking population ages 18 and over.
