What do men really think of promiscuous women?

Deciding what amounts to promiscuous behaviour in today's world is a tricky question. A single woman of, say, 30, who has slept with 25 men in her life is hardly a serial bed-hopper. If you assume she's been sexually active since the age of 18, two partners a year is hardly an earth-shattering amount. Even 50 conquests couldn't be classed as outrageous. But 25 partners in one month may put a different light on the matter.

Many men say they love a promiscuous woman. But deep down, they can intimidate men - it's likely they've had more sexual partners than them, and they could be critical of their performance in the bedroom. And it's this male insecurity that can become a stumbling point in a relationship. The old adage that 'men love 'em, but don't want to be with them' is close to many of our hearts.

It's for this reason that women tend to be slightly selective about revealing the true details of their sexual history. But, in a long-term relationship, it's never worth lying to your man about how many sexual partners you've had. Honesty is the bedrock of any partnership and there's always the chance that the truth could slip out when you least expect it. However, there's no need to go into the finer details of your sexual CV with your man - no matter how long and illustrious.