I thought it was great to see a star that so many of our youth are influenced by, look up to, and admire encourage safe sex. Stars in the media need to take advantage of the power they have. Lyrics talking about "beating it raw" need to cease and be dismissed.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
What might encourage teens to become sexually active in the first place??
1. Environment 2. Age of partner 3. family support
All three may affect young peoples decision to have sex.
Researchers at the University of kentucky followed 950 teenagers at 17 schools in Kentucky and Ohio from 9th to 11th grade. The researchers found evidence that teens who have sex tend to think their friends are have sex also, even if their really not. "you're 2.5 times more likely to have sex by the 9th grade if you think you friends are having sex."
Only 33% of the students in the study had had sex by the 9th grade, but 31% said that most if not all their friends were having sex.
We all know what peer pressure is, and how affective it can be. Not to say that teens are literally pressuring each other into having sex, but if sex is viewed as something that is cool,or raises your social status, there is pressure in that.
Dr. Harold Leitenburg did a study on whether a partner's age is a risk factor for engaging in sexual activities, which he published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. In this study he found that 4201 girls in 8th to 12th grade, those who had lost their virginity between the ages of 11 and 12 tended to have partners of 5 years or older. Girls who had sex later in adolescence had a partner closer in age.
At a young age it is so much easier for us to be taken advantage of. At the ages of 11 and 12 yet we're not sure who we are nor what we believe, we're still trying to figure that out, and at this age we can easily be influenced. Older men have some idea of this, and will try to take advantage of our young ladies, by telling them exactly what they want to here. Parents can't assume their child is too young to be thinking about sex. You can't be sure what company your children keep, its better to have them prepared. We have to talk to our children, especially our girls, let them know what their worth before someone else does.
I don't believe that teens having sex is preventable. Studies have shown that the health risk involved in having sex can be reduced through communicating within the family. Teens that have the discussions of the outcomes of sex with their parents are less likely to engage in risky sexual activity.
After I became sexually active I made sure I used condoms and was on the birth control, out of fear that I would catch an STD, and the fact that my mom scared me. She told me if I got pregnant I was on my own. Though I knew that this wouldn't really be the case, I didn't want to disappoint her.
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