(Un)safe sex in James Bond films: what chance for sex education?

• Published in: Scottish medical journal 2018-11, Vol.63 (4), p.113-118
• Main Authors: Zegers, Lara DA, Zegers, Richard HC
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0036-9330; 2045-6441
• DOI: 10.1177/0036933018809601

Background and aims Many women in Bond films make love to James Bond (alias 007). Our objective was to quantify the practice of (un)safe sex in Bond films. Methods and results All 24 Bond films were watched together by the authors and the following data were recorded: if the women had sex with 007, whether the women consumed any alcohol before they had sex, whether contraceptives were mentioned and/or used by 007 or the women and whether the women survived the film. Bond had sexual relations with a total of 58 different women. Twenty-two percent of the women had consumed alcohol. In none of the films was any type of contraception mentioned or used. A total of 28% women did not survive the film. Conclusion If he were real, Bond outnumbers the British men at least fivefold when it comes to the number of sexual partners over a lifetime. Nevertheless, over time casual sex is becoming less frequent for 007. Sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex and (unwanted) pregnancies seem not to exist in the films. Some suggestions were made to promote safe sex in future Bond films as movies can play an important role in sex education.