The implications of the current global economic conditions on family planning could be deeper than the ability to afford child care. A report from a recent study suggests that Gen Z are having less sex to begin with due to the finances associated with dating and relationships.

According to reports, findings from a study conducted by Playboy, the Kinsey Institute and the women’s sexual health brand Julie, which surveyed over 2,300 adults aged 18 to 29, showed that 39% said that “the cost of dating limited their opportunities for sex or romance.” And 43% said that ongoing financial worries make it harder to date overall.  

The analysis reflects part of a downward trend in sexual activity among the cohort, the survey indicates, dubbing it a “sex recession.” It is further reported that, in addition to the feasibility of entertaining a relationship, the secondary concern was also a fear of rejection as a contributing factor to the pullback, as per People Magazine

Given that a reported 74% of responses indicated a “moderate to very high sexual desire”, as per the research, it’s not a case of not wanting to have intercourse but also a situation of being too timid to romantically approach a potential partner, with 60% saying they’re too afraid of rejection to attempt.

This is also coupled with a pivot to pornographic content, with 34% of male respondents noting that they’ve replaced physical intimacy and companionship with virtual ecstasy to satisfy their real-world relational needs.

With countries already beginning to grapple with declining birthrates, with couples already delaying having children due to finances, among other reasons, the generations could also be looking at another potential crisis with people deciding to avoid relationships and real life intimacy completely.