• In 2006-2008, the proportion of never-married females aged 15-19 who had ever had sexual intercourse was 42%. This was not a statistically significant change from 2002 when 46% of never-married teenaged females had ever had sexual intercourse. (Table 1 and Figure 1). The percent sexually experienced has, however, declined steadily since 1988, when it was 51%. (This was a statistically significant decline).
• In 2006-2008, the percent of never-married males aged 15-19 who ever had sexual intercourse, 43%, did not change significantly from 2002. This follows a significant decline among males from 1995 (55%) to 2002 (46%). (Table 2 and Figure 1)
• Both female and male teenagers whose mothers had their first birth as a teen, and those who did not live with both parents at age 14, were more likely to be sexually experienced than those whose mothers had their first birth at age 20 or older, and those who lived with both parents at age 14 (Table 1 and 2).
• The vast majority of never-married teenagers had not had intercourse in the month before the interview (76% of females and 79% of males, unchanged from 2002), but 12% of female and 10% of male teens had had sex 4 or more times in the month before the interview. (Table 5 and Figure 3)
• Teenagers’ most common first sexual partners are someone with whom they are “going steady” (72% of females and 56% of males) as opposed to someone in a less-involved relationship (e.g., going out once in a while). The second most common relationship with the first sexual partner is having just met, and this is more common for males than females (25% males and 14% females) (Table 8 and Figure 5).
• Regarding total number of lifetime partners, 26% of females and 29% of males had had 2 or more partners. Teenaged females who were younger at first sex were much more likely to have had higher numbers of total partners (Tables 11 and Figure 7). No changes occurred in number of partners since 2002, for males and females.
• The condom is the most commonly used method among sexually experienced teen females: 95% had used the condom at least once. The second most common method was withdrawal, with 58% having ever used this method, followed by the pill, at 55%. Use of periodic abstinence, or the calendar rhythm method, has increased since 2002 – in 2006-2008 17% of teens had ever used this method (Table 13 and Figure 8).
• Among never-married sexually experienced female teens, 79% used a contraceptive method at first intercourse, 68% used the condom, and 15% used the pill. There were no significant changes since 2002 in contraceptive use at first intercourse for female teens (Figure 9). Among never-married males, a significantly higher percent used the condom (81%) compared to 2002 (71%), but overall use of any method at first intercourse did not change significantly (Table 14).

 ●Tony & Tina story [a skit about a married couple] helped me understand that one decision can affect someone’s future. Therefore, making good, smart decisions is important.

●Having sex is a big responsibility and you have to be fully prepared to accept every aspect of it.

●The most helpful thing was seeing how sex affects all dimensions.  I think most people don’t realize how many ways you can be affected by sexual activity.

●It is extremely important to get checked often for STIs and STDs when involved in sexual activities. Sometimes you will not even know when you have one, because there might be no visible symptoms.

●The most important helpful thing I learned today was that knowing the risks/benefits before making a decision in life is very important.

 I’d say that these Tenafly High students really got the message!  We are excited to see the continuing positive impact the YES You Can! curriculum is having on students throughout New Jersey!

Interested in going to a “Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage” seminar, check out their website HERE!

One of the highlights was the multi-media presentation, Look Before You Leap.  The video is projected on three large screens and emphasizes the importance of making wise choices that lead to the healthiest future.  The power of this video is in the several characters who share personal stories of sexual decisions they made that led to negative consequences impacting their health, relationships, and future.  Using a mix of comedy and drama, it is a high energy and unique approach to the topic of sexual health and abstinence.

The teens in attendance were also encouraged and motivated through the high-impact message of Yvonne Harvey Williams.  Raised in Paterson NJ, Yvonne shared her personal experiences and hardships while she encouraged the teens to value themselves and their sexual health.  She was effectively able to meet the teenagers at their level, producing a hard-hitting message that caused many of them to take time and do a reality-check.

Along with the positive messages that permeated the event, teenagers were given the opportunity to win great prizes such as mountain bikes and IPODs.  Those who attended left the gymnasium empowered, equipped, and encouraged to make the healthiest decisions for their future!

Author Steve Perry, contributor to Essence Magazine and CNN, writes an interesting article relating to the misunderstanding of intimacy.  He gives examples of how the rap and hip hop industry has devalued love, romance, and companionship, ultimately leading to women lowering their standards in choosing relationships with men.

Pregnancy Pause—Follow the link to read the full article “Pregnant Pause” by Steve Perry.

Click Here for the video!

For teens working on this decision themselves, the movie may be helpful.  But it also may not go far enough.  True…there’s no sexual intercourse.  But are the characters setting boundaries to protect that decision, or do they keep temptation too close at hand?

It is important that teens set up boundaries to protect themselves from unhealthy situations and temptations.  These boundaries can help build healthy relationships and safe environments, and yet keep alive romantic interest.  Some of these boundaries may be:

• When you go out have a plan for what you’ll do, don’t just hang around.
• Avoid situations where you’ll be tempted.  Hanging out alone in the dark, lying down together, or snuggling on the couch does not help your goal of saving sex.
• Dress to attract, not arouse.  Wear clothes that accentuate your beauty as a person, not just attract people to your body parts.
• Keep all of your clothes all the way on!  Keep your hands off intimate parts that are normally covered by clothing.  Where there’s underwear, DON’T GO THERE!!
• Avoid substances and situations that will lower your resistance and willpower.  Do not use alcohol and drugs.
• Do not stay in a relationship in which you are being pressured for sex.  Hold out for someone who will respect and love you, and who cares about your best interest more than what physical action you might provide.

Click HERE for more on Twilight.

For more information about any of these program components, contact us at 973.268.1477.

If you’d like to be added to our electronic mailing list to receive news, program updates and our quarterly newsletter, send us your email address [bvissani@smmcnj.org]

The War on Intimacy by Richard Panzer, Ph.D. (a New Jersey author) presents in meticulous detail how we’ve gotten to the sorry state of sex education in today’s classrooms.

The other two recommendations are written by medical doctors.  In Hooked, New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children, Dr. McIlhaney and Dr. McKissic Bush detail new brain research technologies that allow us to see how casual sex undermines the bonding power of brain chemicals.  Current patterns of hooking-up and breaking-up damage the physiological and emotional connection that is at the heart of meaningful relationships, eventually desensitizing young people to accept inferior, meaningless relationships as normal.

Dr. Miriam Grossman has written You’re Teaching My Child What?  A Physician Exposes the Lies of Sex Ed and How They Harm Your Child. That title says it all.