teenage sex

The Range of Teenage Sexual Behavior

cont. from

It is important for parents to understand what is "normal" sexual behavior in children and teenagers, and which behaviors might signal that a child is a victim of sexual abuse, or acting in a sexually aggressive manner towards others.

Normal Range of Sexual Behavior

• Sexually explicit conversations with peers
• Obscenities and jokes within cultural norm
• Sexual innuendo, flirting and courtship
• Interest in erotica
• Solitary masturbation
• Hugging, kissing, holding hands
• Foreplay, (petting, making out, fondling) and mutual masturbation: Moral, social or familial rules may restrict, but these behaviors are not abnormal, developmentally harmful, or illegal when private, consensual, equal, and non-coercive.
• Monogamist intercourse: Stable monogamy is defined as a single sexual partner throughout adolescence. Serial monogamy indicates long-term (several months or years) involvement with a single partner which ends and is then followed by another

Yellow Flags

Although many of these are not necessarily outside the range of normal sexual behavior exhibited in teen peer groups, some evaluation and response is desirable in order to support healthy and responsible attitudes and behavior.

• Sexual preoccupation/anxiety (interfering in daily functioning)
• Pornographic interest
• Polygamist sexual intercourse/promiscuity-- indiscriminate sexual contact with more than one partner during the same period of time.
• Sexually aggressive themes/obscenities
• Sexual graffiti (especially chronic and impacting individuals)
• Embarrassment of others with sexual themes
• Violation of others' body space
• Pulling skirts up/pants down
• Single occurrence of peeping, exposing with known peers
• Mooning and obscene gestures

Red Flags

• Compulsive masturbation (especially chronic or public)
• Degradation/humiliation of self or others with sexual themes
• Attempting to expose others' genitals
• Chronic preoccupation with sexually aggressive pornography
• Sexually explicit conversation with significantly young children

Illegal Sexual Behaviors Defined by Law

• Obscene phone calls, voyeurism, frottage, exhibitionism, sexual harassment
• Touching genitals without permission (i.e. grabbing, goosing)
• Sexually explicit threats (verbal or written)
• Sexual contact with significant age difference (child sexual abuse)
• Forced sexual contact (sexual assault)
• Forced penetration (rape)
• Genital injury to others
• Sexual contact with animals (beastiality)

Last updated: 8/05

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