'Friends with benefits'

So, is having a 'friend with benefits' the perfect way to get some regular sex without the hassle of a relationship - or is it just a bit...y'know...hollow. One third of young people in the UK have had a friend with benefits, a new survey shows, but apparently more than half of those were secretly hoping it would develop into something more serious. So maybe what sounds like a great way to have your cake and eat it actually isn't that satisfying after all. What do you think...? Read the whole press release A third of young Brits have had a 'friend with benefits'…but secretly hoped for love. One in three young people (33%) have had a 'friend with benefits' according to new findings published today by relationships charity OnePlusOne in partnership with YouthNet. However, of the 1,000 16 to 24-year-olds who took part in the research carried out by ICM, over half (53%) of those who admitted to having had regular sex with a friend were secretly hoping it would develop in to something more serious. While more young men than women report having had a friend with benefits (36% and 29% respectively), it is young females that are marginally more likely to be happy with the 'no strings attached' arrangement without wishing for more (48% and 46% respectively of young people who have had a friend with benefits). The findings highlight that while 'friends with benefits' may be a form of experimenting for many young people, these seemingly informal relationships can be complex and confusing for others. To help young people who are considering having a 'friend with benefits' to navigate the complexities of that kind of relationship, expert advice and tips have been published on TheSite.org - an online guide to life for 16 to 25 year olds run by charity YouthNet. The tips can be found at: www.thesite.org/friends-with-benefits Emma Rubach, Head of Editorial at YouthNet said: "This is one of the topics that crop up most frequently on thesite.org forums – it's clearly something many young people are unsure about. For some people it is absolutely fine but it can be fraught with confusion and end in hurt for others. We want to ensure young people have access to unbiased advice to help them decide what is right for them." Penny Mansfield, Director of relationships charity OnePlusOne, said: "This research shows that while sex without commitment – or friends with benefits – is increasingly common amongst young people, over half of them are seeking a more secure emotional connection with their current sexual partner. Evidence shows that while experimenting can be fine and fun for some people, most people want a serious relationship that involves an emotional bond as well as sex, but if that isn't the case for both people involved then it can cause problems. "TheCoupleConnection.net offers a wealth of information about relationships, where you can find out what makes relationships work and why things can go wrong. There's also free real time support from a trained counsellor if they need a bit of extra help." OnePlusOne is releasing the new findings as part of a project funded by the Department for Education to encourage people to talk openly about relationships and what works for them. OnePlusOne is working with YouthNet, The Student Room, Netmums, Dad.info, and Contact a Family to create online spaces where people can get advice and discuss their relationship in forums with their peers.

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