Two-Thirds of Australian Women Admit to This Risky Bedroom Move

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A new study has found that 66.6 per cent of Australian women have had sex without a condom because one was not available when they needed it.

The research showed the situation was not always a one-off: 48.1 per cent said it had happened more than once. Almost two-thirds also believed women face greater judgment than men when they carry condoms.

Commissioned by sexual wellness brand Moments, the 2026 study surveyed 1,111 Australian women aged between 18 and 45. The Australian company sells condoms, pleasure toys and lubricants through its website and Chemist Warehouse online.

The Moments Sexual Health Study 2026 has reignited discussion about safe sex in Australia, highlighting a mix of practical, social and emotional reasons why women may not carry condoms.

Although 46.5 per cent of participants said protection during sex should be a shared responsibility, the findings point to a significant gap between that belief and what happens in practice.

For many women, embarrassment and concern about being judged by a partner or bystanders can make carrying condoms in a wallet or handbag feel uncomfortable. In the 2026 survey, 34.1 per cent said they feared judgment from a partner—or had experienced it—for carrying a condom. That figure compares with 23 per cent in 2017 and 29 per cent in 2021.

The contrast between attitudes and behaviour is stark. While nearly half said supplying a condom should be the equal responsibility of both partners, only 21.2 per cent said that had been true during their most recent sexual encounter or relationship.

‘There is a twenty-five point gap between what women believe about shared responsibility and what actually happens,’ Christina Zafirov, Brand & Marketing Manager at Moments Wellness, said.

‘Nearly half think it should be equal. One in five says it was. In the space between those two numbers sits a decision about her body that got made by default, by whoever remembered.’

For 29.5 per cent of respondents, the reason they were not carrying protection was straightforward: they assumed their partner would bring one.

Others pointed to social pressure. Some 21.1 per cent said they did not want to ‘seem like they are expecting sex’, while 18.7 per cent would feel embarrassed if someone noticed they had a condom. ‘Women can feel comfortable discussing condoms with a partner and still feel watched at the checkout,’ the brand stated.

Overall, 63.76 per cent said women are judged more harshly than men for carrying condoms, compared with just 2.07 per cent who felt men faced harsher judgment. Respondents were more likely to describe a woman who carried one as someone who ‘sleeps around’, while a man was more often viewed as ‘prepared’ or ‘responsible’. The respective figures were 43.86 per cent versus 29.27 per cent for ‘prepared’, and 39.71 per cent versus 26.12 per cent for ‘responsible’.

Another 22.8 per cent said they relied on a different form of contraception, raising concerns about public understanding of sexually transmitted infections and how they can be prevented.

When asked which contraceptive methods protect against STIs, only 77.5 per cent correctly selected condoms. That left 22.6 per cent misinformed, while 26.2 per cent incorrectly identified the contraceptive pill as protection against sexually transmitted infections.

Moments’ aim is to shift societal thinking around preparedness to avoid Australians finding themselves without protection when things heat up, leading to a last-minute scramble or potentially putting themselves at risk.

‘Phone. Keys. Condom:’ A mantra of putting all the essentials in the handbag or pocket before heading out is so simple, and can help to increase everyone’s safety in the bedroom when it comes to sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy risk.

Being prepared never implies consent. It ensures, though, that if both people want to have sex, they have what they need, when they need it. No mood killing search, no unnecessary risk.

Moments’ ‘Women Carry Condoms Too’ campaign runs through September for Sexual Health Month. You can read the full findings of the study and shop their bestselling range of condoms, lubricants and pleasure toys at momentswellness.com.au.

Moments Sexual Health Study 2026. 1,111 Australian women aged 18-45, weighted by age, state and region, fielded by Toluna Australia Pty Ltd. Comparisons drawn from matched wording in the 2017 wave (YouGov, n=1,000 women aged 24-35) and the 2021 wave (YouGov, n=1,046 women aged 18-45). The 2017 wave surveyed a narrower age range, so comparisons including 2017 should be read as indicative of direction rather than precise change.