Swiss are Europe's masturbation champs: study

A survey by dating site C-Date found that 92 percent of Swiss men and 72 percent of Swiss women "regularly" pleasure themselves, putting the Alpine nation at the vanguard of international self-service.

Far from being stereotypical goody two-shoes, the Swiss came out right on top in the survey of 5,670 people in 10 European countries plus Brazil.

Further probing revealed that Swiss women are keen users of sex toys. 16 percent admitted using vibrators alone, although most preferred involving partners in the fun. 

Toys are also appreciated by Swiss men: almost one in three said they had pampered their partner with sexy items.

When it came to actual sexual intercourse, however, the Swiss dropped back to an average ranking: 17 percent said they make love every day, whereas 48 percent said they have sex once a week.

Swiss men meanwhile were very keen to ensure that women enjoy their sex sessions.

“For 71 percent of men, their partner’s orgasm is more important than their own,” said Heinz Laumann, the German founder of the site, which claims to have 8 million users in 35 countries.

Nor are the Swiss prudish when it comes to one-night stands. 55 percent of men and 39 percent of women confessed to having had sex with someone they'd just met.

Group sex emerged as one of the foremost fantasies for men. 40 percent of Swiss men said they would like to practise it, although only 20 percent claimed to have actually done so. Just one in every eight women said they have had sex with more than one person at the same time.

For Swiss woman, the location of sex was more important than the number of people involved. 

One thing on which men and women were agreed was that infidelity is very much out of bounds. For 79 percent, the idea of their partner having sex outside the relationship was an absolute no-no.