More common that teenage girls have sex against their will

Teenagers are getting more sexually active and it´s happening fast, according to a new study from La Trobe University. Between 2002 and 2008 the number of girls in Year 12 (17-18 years old) who have had sex with more than three partners doubled. When it comes to Year 12 boys the number increased from 16 to almost 40%.

The percentage of girls Year 12 who have lost their virginity rose from 46 to 61% between 2002 and 2008, and a quarter of the Year 10 students (15-16 years of age) have had sex.

Most worrying is that the amount of young girls who have ever had unwanted sex rose from 26 to 40%, which indicates that the higher sexual activity is connected with emotional pain... The girls say the reason they had sex against their will, mainly was because their partner wanted to, or they themselves were too drunk - which can be explained by the fact that 60 % of Year 12 girls have experienced three or more binge drinking sessions the last two weeks.

Sex is getting less culturally prophane and magical - but probably more enjoyable at the same time. Our culture is not as strict anymore when it comes to rules around sex - which opens up for a culture where sex can be for pleasure and fun, and less something you hide behind a bedroom door.

It seems in the surveys that this is a bad thing... But who did research on what married women throughout time had to deal with, when drunk husband came home and did whatever and when women were not sttrong with their own education and independence?

My theory is that women are allowed to enjoy sex nowadays, to a higher degree than ever. The trend is that young girls have opinions and dare to find out what they like in bed, and to ask for it. Of course not all of them do, but I think that is the development. Now they feel the tingle but get so drunk they can´t turn it into something good...

The blurry area of "unwanted sex" is nothing new; it is not the trend here. Especially not when both parties now drink like mad and both can wake up the next morning and have regrets. It´s not like the unwanted sex women had 50+ years ago, putting up with it... Who surveyed their situation? Who talked about that?

What should schools and parents do? Not stop young people from having sex, but teaching boundaries and how to make those moments "wanted". Both girls and boys get aroused, and the best we can do is to direct that energy into something positive. Trying to stop the force with celibacy is hard... The trend is that sex is getting more equal and common. Less forbidden, no longer pleasurable just for men!