With the Christmas season fast approaching, many Brits are getting into the holiday spirit by putting their decorations up, buying presents and spending time with family.
It certainly paints a picture of good tidings and wholesome festivities. However, during the festive season, some Brits are getting into a different kind of festive spirit. There are some surprisingly conclusive STD trends that may find you ‘wrapping up’ this Christmas.
Experts Warn of an STD Boom Following the Christmas Period
Experts in the UK are warning that over the festive period, we can expect the rate of STDs being contracted to rise. STDs are primarily spread by engaging in unprotected sex, with diseases often remaining undetected due to a lack of effective testing.
‘32% of Brits have had or would have unprotected sex outside of their relationship during the festive season – that’s 11.6 million of the UK’s working adult population’
Despite the prevalence of unprotected sex during the festive period, only 25% of Brits have had an STI test during the season. Without regular STD testing following unprotected sex, STDs are allowed to run wild and may remain undetected for months or even years.
‘Over 22.5 million of the UK’s working adult population have had or would have a one-night stand during the festive season’
In fact, 10% of Brits said that they were more likely to have a one-night stand over the winter season, and one in ten UK workers will be taking protection to this year’s work Christmas party, with over one in 12 (8%) estimated to sleep with a colleague that evening. Despite the high rates of unprotected and short-term sexual encounters, STI testing remains surprisingly low.
‘Almost a quarter of Brits would not get an STD test after sleeping with a co-worker without protection’
STI testing is particularly low in Scotland compared to those in England, and workers from Edinburgh were the least likely to get an STI test. A reluctance to book an STI test can be due to a number of reasons, such as finding the right way to tell a sexual partner about a positive result. It is nonetheless vital that people are testing for STDs to prevent further spreading.
Find out more about how to get an STD test over the festive period by reading our detailed blog.
Expert Advice for Staying STD-Free this Christmas
There are a number of ways to protect yourself and others from spreading disease and slowing STD trends for the festive period. Unfortunately, 55% of Brits are testing for STDs too early, and are at risk of false-negative results. This means that STDs can remain undetected, potentially causing issues further down the line. For example, Chlamydia is asymptomatic in 50-70% of cases, but if left untreated it can cause infertility. Some of the top ways to prevent the spread of STDs include:
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- Be Safe – Using protection such as condoms greatly reduces the likelihood of catching an STI. If you are planning on having sex when you leave for an event, consider bringing a condom with you.
- Be transparent – Remaining open and honest about your sexual history is the right thing to do. If you have a positive result, ensure that you inform all those that you have had a sexual encounter with.
- Be informed – Make sure you stay up-to-date on all the ways that STIs can be transmitted. This will help you to protect yourself by using suitable protection for the activity you are engaging in.
- Get tested – While it is possible to test too early (as mentioned above), it is still important to get yourself tested after a sexual encounter, especially if you did not use protection.
Find out more about when the best time to test for STDs is in our detailed blog.
Does Promiscuity Increase During Christmas?
Now that we know what causes these diseases to spread, what is causing this spike in brief and unprotected sexual encounters?
What Do Brits Class as ‘Cheating’?
When it comes to infidelity, people tend to hold differing views as to what actually constitutes ‘cheating’. A third of Brits do not class having an affair with a colleague as cheating, and 30% of Brits have cheated or would cheat on their partner during the festive season, with 6% saying they are actually more likely to cheat on their partner during Christmas.
At least 17% of Brits will cheat on their partner over the festive season, but those aged 45-54 are the most likely to do so.
‘Those in entry-level job roles are the most likely to cheat on their partner over the festive season, with director-level roles being second most likely’
While there is some variation in how we can define ‘cheating’, 18% of workers from Leeds do not consider any form of sexual activity during a work Christmas party as cheating on their partner! It is no surprise, then, that STD trends perform a spike at Christmas, particularly surrounding work Christmas parties.
How Are Workplaces Affected By the Festive STD Boom?
Of course, during the festive period, a big date in most company calendars is the office Christmas party. In our recent study, we found that 14% of workers from Manchester have had/would have casual sex with a colleague at a work Christmas party.
‘Marketing, advertising, PR, media, internet and sales workers are the most likely to sleep with a colleague at a work do’
However, it is not just at work events that people are engaging in sexual activity. The most common place to have sex in the office is in an unused room, and the second is tied between having sex in the toilets, on the photocopy machine, or in a cupboard! Talk about romance!
During the festive period, the increased sexual activity between UK workers results in the likelihood of STI transmission. Despite this increased sexual activity, the rate of testing is surprisingly low, with over 40% of UK workers stating that they have never and would never get an STI test during the festive season.
Get Tested This Christmas
If you are planning on engaging in sexual activity this Christmas, make sure you are getting tested for STDs, especially if you are not using protection. Booking a confidential test with Your Sexual Health will deliver accurate results in a confidential and timely manner. Use our ‘Find My Test’ option to search available testing services.