New study: Vibrators are as common in households as coffee makers

According to two new national surveys from Indiana University, 53% percent of women have used a vibrator. Perhaps even more interesting is that 81% of these ladies have used the device with a partner. We've come a long way since Alfred Kinsey's studies in 1953 Shere Hite in 1976. They found that vibrator use was “not appreciable” and “less than 1 percent” admit to using them.

“What this tells us is we’ve reached a tipping point,” said Debby Herbenick, an author of the studies. “Something once regarded as exotic has become commonplace.” Sure, talking about vibrators still may make us blush or feel slightly uncomfortable, but the truth is, more women than ever have them in their homes. With "massagers" sold online and in a wide variety of stores like Brookstone, CVS, Wal-Mart and even 7-Eleven, you no longer need to enter a sex shop to purchase vibrators. “You can now buy your toothpaste, shampoo and vibrator at the local convenience store,” Dr. Herbenick said. “They’re not hidden in a dark corner of some adult store.”

Women with kids under 18 had no shame about having vibrators in their homes either. Dr. Hebernick claims this is because, “A lot of these are very discreet — it’s not all the Hitachi magic wand. They’re so innocuous, even if children saw, they wouldn’t know.” Vibrators have also proven to be recession-proof: Jim Daniels, the vice president of marketing for Trojan says sales are up 20% in the last year. It's good to know that during a tough economy, orgasms are still free. [NY Times]