Adolescent sexuality in Britain

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Adolescent sexuality in Britain refers to sexual feelings, behavior and development in UK adolescents. All "teens have sexual lives, whether with others or through fantasies."[1] Today both boys and girls are now "entering puberty at least two years earlier than previous generations. This means they are ready for sex earlier physically, but not emotionally or cognitively."[2]

In 2006 a survey conducted by The Observer showed that most adolescents in the UK were waiting longer to have sexual intercourse than they were only a few years earlier. In 2002, 32% of teens were having sex before the legal age of consent of 16; in 2006 it was only 20%. The average age a teen lost their virginity was 17.13 years in 2002. In 2006 girls lost theirs at 17.44 years on average and boys lost theirs at 18.06 years. The most notable drop among teens who reported having sex was 14 and 15 year olds.[3]

Of Western European countries, the UK has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are on the increase.[4] One in nine sexually active teens has chlamydia and 790,000 teens have sexually transmitted infections. In 2005 the "biggest rise [in STIs] was seen in syphilis, which rocketed by more than 20 per cent, but increases were also seen in genital warts and herpes."[5]

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[edit] References

  1. ^ Ponton, Lynn (2000). The Sex Lives of Teenagers. New York: Dutton, 2. ISBN 0452282608. 
  2. ^ Ponton, Lynn (2000). The Sex Lives of Teenagers. New York: Dutton, 3. ISBN 0452282608. 
  3. ^ Denis Campbell (January 22, 2006). "No sex please until we're at least 17 years old, we're British". The Observer. 
  4. ^ Christine Webber, psychotherapist and Dr David Delvin (2005). Talking to pre-adolescent children about sex (html). Broaching the subject. Net Doctor. Retrieved on January 17, 2007.
  5. ^ Jonathan Thompson (November 12, 2006). "New safe sex ads target teens 'on the pull'". The Independent. 
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