Teenage sexuality is an issue that worries many parents. And for good reason. Pregnancy, STDs, abortion, promiscuity, curtailed education and lengthy stints on welfare are often associated with teen sex. This article examines some of the data, and looks at how effective sex education has been in dealing with the problem.
Who is doing it?
Recent survey research in Australia found that nationally, 20% of Australians had sex before they were sixteen, whilst 30% lost their virginity before they turned seventeen (Richters & Rissel, 2005). By eighteen years of age 50% of teenagers had had sexual intercourse (Lindsay, Smith & Rosenthal, 1998). With regard to gender, 98.4% of boys had sex with female partners and 1.6% with males, whilst 97.3% of girls reported sex with boys, and 2.7% with girls (Smith et al., 2002).
Non-authoritarian parenting has been found to be associated with non-virginity in youth, as is permissiveness and lack of parental support (Department of Human Services (DHS), 2001). Other factors associated with teenage sexual behaviour include: parents experiences of divorce, re-marriage and behaviours toward the
opposite sex, and peer influences (DHS, 2001; Moore, 2000). Peer influences are postulated as being probably the strongest predictor of teen sexual activity.
This pressure from peers comes in the form of unwritten ‘sexual timetables’, which indicates what activities are reasonable and normal at different ages (Moore, 2000; Rosenthal & Smith, 1997). Girls who had sex and fell pregnant were more likely to live in areas of socio-economic disadvantage (Skinner & Hickey, 2003).
Who’s not doing it?
Despite the large numbers of teenagers having sex, 50% of teenagers at the end of high school are still virgins. Particularly there are over 20,000 young people involved in ‘True Love Waits’ (Ziegelmann, 2005), an organization which teaches that being a virgin is ‘cool’, and promotes chastity and abstinence. ‘True Love
Waits’ youth believe that all the sexual experience they need shall be within marriage with one partner. Dr. Stammers’ (2000) research has identified factors associated with delayed first intercourse. These include: high self esteem, internal control, good performance and motivation in education, having a father at home, and having sex education from parents. Whilst lack of attentive parents has been linked to early sexual activity, a stable family environment is associated with later sexual initiation (Whiteback et al., 1992). Factors such as religious affiliation and social class also have a marked influence on age of sexual debut (Rosenthal, Moore & Brumen, 1990).
A Closer Look at Who’s Doing it Contrary to what ‘True Love Waits’ youth believe, the authors of ‘Doing it
Downunder’ conclude that with regard to teenagers and sex “…real life experience is essential” (2005:6). Interestingly the ‘goodness’ of this experience is questionable when considering survey findings about young people whose first intercourse was before the age of sixteen. Findings indicate that they were more
likely to have had:
• Sex with more people in their lifetime
• Anal sex
• A same-sex partner
• An sexually transmitted disease (STD)
These findings are very worrying, particularly with regard to teenagers physical
and emotional health. What does research indicate is happening to our
teenagers?
• Boys in year 10 are likely to report three or more sexual partners in the
past year (Smith et al., 2002).
This accords with previous research that found casual sex was more accepted by boys than girls, with girls valuing sex within a committed or ‘steady’ relationship (Moore, 2000; Smith et al., 2002). Year 10 boys are also more likely to have experienced oral sex without sexual intercourse (Smith et al., 2002). By year 12, 51.9% of boys and 63.8% of girls reported oral sex with one partner and without intercourse; a considerable proportion (38%) of year 10 and 12 students reported oral sex with two or more partners (Smith et al., 2002). Stammers
(2000) links the media and cinema with pressuring teens into early sex.
He says: “Headlines such as ‘I think about sex every three minutes’ and ‘Steamy sex text’ makes it clear that delaying sexual relationships is not high on their agenda” (2000:1). It seems that sexual activity in teen boys is
an esteemed activity, whereas among girls it is frowned upon. Interestingly an anonymous young man in ‘True Love Waits’ gives another picture of boys and sex: “Many people think a guy has to have sex to prove he’s a
man. I don’t think so. The truth is, it takes a lot more strength to keep your passions under control than to give in to them”. (Anonymous, 2000). Even though teenage girls are not as likely to have as many partners are boys,
they too are bombarded with pressuring messages about sex. Teen magazines ‘Dolly’, ‘Cleo’, ‘Girlfriend’ and ‘Cosmo’ frequently feature articles about sex, such as how to give oral sex, bizarre sex habits, shaping pubic hair shaping for him etc, etc.
• The most commonly treated STD in sexually active adolescents in chlamydia, followed by gonorrhoea, herpes simplex virus (HSV) and genital warts – and their increasing incidence indicates that teenagers are careless about ‘safesex’ (Moore, 2000; Smith, et al., 2002; Skinner & Hickey, 2003). Forty-five per cent of sexually active teenagers do not use condoms consistently, whilst most delay contraception for an average of one year after initiating sexual activity (Skinner & Hickey, 2003). The National Secondary Students Survey (Smith et al, 2002) found that even though 10% of students did no know HIV could be transmitted during sex, 60% of boys always used condoms. It appears that teenagers who become sexually active do not perceive themselves at risk of contracting STD’s. Sexual activity without real knowledge of STDs is of great concern,
particularly as chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead to sterility, and
untreated HSV can lead to birth abnormalities and miscarriage.
• Over a quarter of adolescents report having had unwanted sex: 15.9% said they were too drunk to make a choice, whilst 12.6% said a sexual partner had pressured them (Smith et al, 2002). National Crime Prevention (2000) reported that one in seven Australian teenage girls said a boyfriend had forced them to have sex. Researchers acknowledge that sex within a relationship where there is no respect is very damaging
(Moore, 2000); therefore it is indicated that young people need to be better equipped with the skills and confidence to end relationships (i) where they are being pressured to have sex, and (ii) in which unwanted sex is occurring (Moore, 1997; National Crime Prevention, 2000; Stafford, 2000).
Research has also long indicated the close associations between sexual violence and exploitation and intoxication (Aggleton, Ball & Mane, 2000), and it is undisputed that there is a correlation between intoxication and unsafe sex (Aggleton et al., 2000). Smith et al (2002 found that alcohol use and binge drinking are increasing in Australian school students, particular in year 10. Sixty-five percent of year 10 girls reported three or
more drinks the last time they had drunk alcohol, whilst overall, 73% of year twelve students and 59% of year ten students reported more than three alcoholic drinks (Smith et al., 2002). Clearly research indicates that
teenage drinking needs to be focussed upon if we are to make headway in reducing unwanted sexual experiences.
• Grief and loss: Quite an under-researched area is that of loss and grief in adolescents after romantic sexual relationships end (Moore, 2000). One teenage study participant said: “Nothing really explores the scary side of
being in a very involved relationship, or how hurt you might feel actually if you had an encounter with somebody, and they have told you the next day ‘see you later’, and that was it…” (Moore, 1999, in Moore, 2000). British
GPs are greatly concerned about the psychological impacts of teenage sex. Stammers (2000) quotes several studies that have shown up to 70% of girls who lost their virginity before age 16 felt in retrospect that this was
too early and expressed regret that they had not waited until they were older. Stammers (2000) states that psychologically, sexually active teenagers are at higher risk of depression, attempted suicide, cigarette
smoking, alcohol misuse, drug-taking, low self-esteem and suspension from school than peers who have retained virginity. In Australia, depression and anger are reported as being reactions to full-blown grief
after teen sexual relationships break-up (Moore, 2002).
• Australia has a relatively high rate of teenage pregnancy, and the second highest abortion rate in the western world. Approximately 26 in every 100 known pregnancies are terminated (Belton, 2001). Many women who
have had abortions are now speaking out about the grief associated with what they thought was a simple procedure (Burke & Reardon, 2002; Tankard Reist, 2000). Research examining teenage girls (and indeed all
women’s) post abortion grief is limited, and remains an area that prochoice’s wish to keep silent. It is reported (DHS, 2001; Singh & Patrock, 2000) that continuing with teen pregnancy carries social risks including:
interruption to school education, reduction in career prospects, potential poverty and social isolation; abortion is therefore seen as a saviour. Sadly, literature supports the conclusion by Lucker (1991:22) that teenage girls
will only continue with pregnancy if “they do not have a vision for the future…”. This indicates a prevailing negative view of teen pregnancy and motherhood. The trend toward this thinking about pregnancy in western
countries indicates the greater need for social and economic policies which support teenage and single mothers with regard to income, housing and social support, for schools, universities and workplaces to provide
environments that accommodate for motherhood, and for social attitudes which value motherhood. A seventeen year old girl eloquently sums up the tragedy of neglecting real choices for teenagers and of negative views of
pregnancy: “…the greatest loss today is that the beautiful gift of pregnancy has become a fear and/or a hassle…” (Rachel in Belton, 2001:19).
Summary - Sex Education Parents remain vital sources of information for their teenage children. Research
indicates that teenagers view their parents as the trustworthiest sources of information about sex (Rosenthal & Smith, 1995). Several studies (Mitchell. 2001) have found that young people feel they can discuss problems and
communicate well about sexual matters with parents who are good listeners Are honest, and who try to understand the child’s point of view and feelings.
What teenagers reported most wanting to talk to their parents about include: “ physical changes of puberty, menstruation and reproduction, risks of catching an STD, unplanned pregnancy and contraception, issues such as abortion , homosexuality and sex before marriage, and parents’ own values and beliefs (provided they are not forced down their throats)” (Mitchell, 2001). As most young people see their parents as having positive influences on their sexual development, this indicates it is important for parents to realise the role models
they play. Despite these positive comments about parents, some adolescents believe that strict parents are those most likely to have children who rebel and play up (Moore, 2000). Mitchell (2001) reports that teenagers are less responsive when parents: don’t take the young person’s needs into account , dictate hard and fast standards of behaviour, and insist that they share the parent’s views .
The sex education message over the past twenty years has been ‘use contraception’. It is questionable whether this has been successful considering the immensely high abortion rates in Australia and the rising incidence of STD infections. Despite the current debate about sex education in Australian schools, research results remain inconclusive with regard to the benefits of current schoolbased sex education (Lifematters, 2003; Moore, 2000; Pearson, 2003). The research to date about sex education of teenagers tends to indicate that much
more is needed than teaching about contraception. Dr. Stammers concludes, “Much teenage sexual activity has little to do with sex. It may be a way of expressing anger or frustration, a means of acting out, a cry for attention. It is frequently part of a search for love and meaning” (2000:2).
Conclusion Australian teenagers are having sex at a younger age than did their parents. The research findings presented here indicate that whatever form sex education is to take, it is necessary to move beyond teaching simply about contraception. Considering this, it is suggested that the basic content of sex education needs to
focus upon peer pressure, alcohol use, learning about dignity and respect, understanding the emotional outcomes of sexual relationships, how to build relationships, STDs and their consequences, emotional and physical health outcomes of abortion, why abstinence is good, what is marriage, and sex, pregnancy and childrearing. For example, the goals of ‘True Love Waits’ sex education include helping teenagers and youth:
• Make informed, responsible decisions
• Take pride in their virginity/secondary virginity
• Be aware of the good, positive reasons to wait until marriage
• Be given tools to combat the immense pressure to become sexually activeTrue Love Waits, 2005).
Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists important life skills for young people in the sexual health area. These include:
• Making sound decisions about relationships and sexual intercourse, and to be able to stand up for these decisions
• Dealing with pressures for unwanted sex or drug use
• Recognising situations that might turn risky or violent
• Knowing how and where to ask for help and support
• Knowing how to negotiate protected sex and other forms of safe sex when ready for sexual relationships (Mitchell, 2001).
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