It’s an age-old nightlife scenario: you lock eyes with a stranger across a crowded bar, share a couple of cocktails, followed by the classic “walk of shame” the next morning.

For generations, one-night stands have been a late-night experience so common, some describe it as a sexual rite of passage.

But according to a new ‘sex trends’ report by Lovehoney, the casual hook-up is officially facing extinction as young people reject the act in favor of more meaningful encounters.

Elisabeth Neumann, sexologist and head researcher at global sex toy retailer, told news.com.au that younger generations aren’t necessarily more “prudish,” but are instead reacting to a radically altered dating climate.

The shift is being driven by a range of factors including dating app fatigue, a massive decline in nightlife, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Younger generations are opting out of what many consider a sexual rite of passage of one-night stands and the walk of shame for a different dating experience. The change is attributed to a shift in the dating environment influenced by a range of factors. ViDi Studio – stock.adobe.com

“With more than a quarter of late-night venues closed since 2020, we’re seeing a real shift in how young people approach alcohol and nightlife,” Neumann explained.

The data revealed that only half of 18-to 24-year-olds have had a drunken sexual encounter, compared to nearly 70 percent of 25-to-34-year-olds and almost three-quarters of 35-to-44-year-olds.

The Lovehoney report noted that “without the inhibition-lowering effects of alcohol or specific spaces where hooking up is socially sanctioned, it’s no wonder that one-night stands are in decline.”

On top of that, a cost-of-living crisis means many young people are still living at home, and the conditions that once made casual encounters accessible have largely disappeared.