teenage sex

Teen Sexual Behavior
(For Parents)

cont. from

Just as sexual preferences are learned behavior, most or all sexual deviations are learned behaviors, with pornography having the power of conditioning into sexual deviancy. Pornography can be addictive, with the individual becoming desensitized to 'soft' porn and moving on to dangerous images of bondage, rape, sadomasochism, torture, group sex and violence.

At the very least, addiction to pornography destroys relationships by dehumanizing the individual and reducing the capacity to love. At worst, some addicts begin to act out their fantasies by victimizing others, including children and animals.

Teens also have their own cultural beliefs about what is normal sexual behavior. Although most teenage girls believe that sex equals love, other teens -- especially boys -- believe that sex is not the ultimate expression of the ultimate commitment, but a casual activity and minimize risks or serious consequences. That is, of course, what they see on TV. The infrequent portrayals of sexual risks such as disease and pregnancy trivialize the importance of sexual responsibility.

Other misconceptions include:

• all teens are having sex
• having sex makes you an adult
• something is wrong with an older teen (17-19) who is not having sex
• a girl can't get pregnant if she's menstruating
• a girl can't get pregnant if it's her first time
• you are a virgin as long as you don't have sexual intercourse -- oral sex doesn't count

Clearly, parents are in a tough spot. But there are some key ideas that help make sense of things.

cont.

Last updated: 8/05

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