Now there's a shock.

The results of a world sex survey, published online today by the Lancet,* led the professionals who conducted it to the following conclusion:

"The selection of public-health messages needs to be guided by epidemiological evidence rather than myths and moral stances," . . . "The greatest challenge to sexual-health promotion in almost all countries comes from opposition from conservative forces to harm-reduction strategies."

Other stunning revelations include the observation that marriage does not safeguard sexual health and that "very early sexual experience within marriage can be coercive and traumatic" for young girls.

Fancy that.

*Sadly, the Lancet study itself is accessible online only to subscribers.