The latest study by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS) has taken many in Spain by surprise. Nearly a quarter of adults in the country reported having no sexual contact in the past twelve months. This trend reflects not only personal preferences but also significant changes within the fabric of society, affecting various generations and social groups.
According to CIS data, 24.6% of respondents admitted to not having an intimate life over the past year. The main reasons cited included loss of interest, health issues, and widowhood. Meanwhile, 75.1% of participants reported having sexual relationships during the same period. The study covered more than four thousand adults, underscoring the representativeness of its findings.
Reasons behind the change
The most common explanations for the lack of sexual activity are reduced desire (16.3%), loss of a partner (13.5%), and health problems (12.2%). These factors affect both older and younger Spaniards. Still, despite decreased activity, most people continue to value emotional connections: 73.5% believe that relationships are important for a fulfilling life.
Living together as a couple is valued by 84.8% of respondents, and economic independence within a relationship by 85.5%. This suggests that traditional values remain relevant, although they are evolving in response to new realities.
New perspectives and the influence of digital life
There is a growing sense of instability in personal relationships. According to CIS, almost 79% of Spaniards believe that modern relationships are less stable than in the past. Over 61% note an increase in uncertainty compared to the previous generation. The impact of digital technologies is felt especially strongly: 73.3% of respondents believe that the internet and social media have radically changed the dynamics of human interaction.
Nevertheless, the traditional relationship model prevails: among those in a couple, 97.4% practice monogamy, and open relationships are extremely rare—only 1.2% have reported such an experience.
Freedom and diversity
Attitudes toward personal life are becoming more flexible. 81.6% of Spaniards have noted a rise in individual freedom within relationships, 75.6% report greater equality between men and women, and 64.2% believe that modern relationships bring more enjoyment. Among singles, there is a wide range of behaviors: 22.3% engage in casual encounters, but the majority—73.4%—have neither a partner nor dates. Looking to the future, 36.6% prefer to remain single, 20.5% choose to live together without marriage, and 17.5% opt for relationships without cohabitation.
Openness to non-traditional practices is growing, but remains moderate. Only 12.9% of respondents have had experience with open or non-exclusive relationships, and most were one-off occurrences. Other forms, such as dominance and submission (7.9%), fetishism (6.8%), polyamorous relationships (5.2%), and orgies (4.7%), are even less common.
Intimate products and new frontiers
The use of intimate products has become commonplace: 58.5% of Spaniards have tried them at least once. The main motivators are curiosity (33.9%), the desire to improve satisfaction (26.1%), and a wish to add variety to leisure time (23.8%). Lubricants and oils are the most popular (92.9%), followed by sex toys (75.8%) and accessories (61%), especially among stable couples. More than half of respondents believe such products make intimate life more vibrant.
However, society is sharply opposed to the idea of intimate relationships with robots. 80.6% stated they would never agree to such an experience, 13.9% consider it highly unlikely, and only 4.4% are open to the possibility.
According to the CIS, Spanish society is experiencing a period of change marked by increasing diversity in behavior models and values, while anxiety about the future of personal relationships persists. Analysis by russpain.com notes that similar trends are occurring in other European countries, where digitalization and changing social roles are also affecting the structure of families and private life.
In recent years, Spain has seen a steady stream of studies on changes in personal relationships and sexuality. For example, in 2024, surveys indicated a rise in people choosing to remain single or pursue non-traditional forms of partnership. In 2025, there was increased focus on how social networks are shaping new behavioral patterns among young people. These trends continue to transform society, prompting reconsideration of established views on family and personal life.
