Biological rules say the male is the active sex in humans. They look for fertilizing as many females as possible for the maximum biological effectiveness, being real sexual predators, always ready for some hanky-panky, while women look for quality and a partner for a monogamous relationship, who is able to deliver and care for the children.

But all these are blown up in modern society. A comprehensive survey carried out by the French Aids research agency shows that women are turning increasingly assertive in their sexuality and only 20 % show no interest in having sex. Currently, they have twice more sexual partners than in the '70s (where are those Flower Power times?).

The study was made on a poll of 12,000 subjects of all ages, who were interviewed during 2005-06. It's obvious, females' sexual behavior is increasingly similar to the males'. If in 1970, 68 % of the French women had just one sexual partner, the number plummeted to 43 % in 1992 and 34 % in 2006.

Today's women have more than 5 sexual partners on average, as compared with less than two in 1970, while in the case of the men, this number is constant for decades: about 13.

In 1950, French women started their sex lives, on average, two years latter than the boys (when 20 years and 6 months old, compared to 18 years and 8 months in case of men); now, the females start only four months later than the males, at an average age of 17.5 years. And while in 1970, half of the women ended their sex life by the age of 50, today 90 % of after-menopause women still have sex.

But some issues seem to be too deeply thrust into our educational patterns to be overrun by the modern society. Men can make the difference between sex and love easier.

"Young women are still educated to consider their entrance into sexuality as a sentimental-relationship experience," wrote the authors.

Surprisingly, 20 % of French men aged 18 to 24 were virgin (French lover, huh?), while twice more French men than French women under 35 were abstinent.

"The French have fewer sexual taboos and inhibitions than before, but are more anxious about lovemaking," added the authors.

This boosts the wages of French sex counselors: their offices are visited by 500,000 patients every year.