http://www.soundvision.com/Info/teens/stat.

asp

STATISTICS ON TEENS
Think teen culture in America is just about hanging out with friends, movies and fun? While they are not representative of every teenager, they do point to what goes on in American teen culture. Statistics on Teen Sex -Nationally, more than half of teenagers are virgins until they are at least 17 years of age (Sex and America's Teenagers, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1994). -In the U.S., 7 in 10 women who had sex before age 14, and 6 in 10 of those who had sex before age 15 report having had sex involuntarily. (Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996). -Nationally, one-quarter of 15 year old females and less than 30% of 15 year old males have had sex, compared with 66% of 18 year old females, and 68% of 18 year old males who have had sexual intercourse. (A Statistical Portrait of Adolescent Sex, Contraception, and Childbearing, National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Washington, DC, 1998). Statistics on Teen pregnancy -Nationally, nearly one million young women under age 20 become pregnant each year. That means close to 2800 teens get pregnant each day.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996). -Approximately 4 in 10 young women in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before turning 20 years old.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996). -Teen childbearing alone costs U.S. taxpayers nearly $7 billion annually for social services and lost tax revenues. (Kids Having Kids: Economic Costs and Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy, Prebecca Maynard (ed.), The Urban Institute, Washington, DC, 1997). Statistics on Rape in Teen: -Teens 16 to 19 were three and one-half times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. (National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.) -According to the Justice Department, one in two rape victims is under age 18; one in six is under age 12. [Child Rape Victims, 1992. U.S. Department of Justice.] -While 9 out of 10 rape victims are women, men and boys are also victimized by this crime. In 1995, 32,130 males age 12 and older were victims of rape, attempted rape or

sexual assault. [National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.] Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Teens -In the U.S., 1 in 4 sexually active teens become infected with an STD every year.2 Some common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital warts (also known as HPV - human papillomavirus), and herpes. (Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996). Teens are victims of violence, murder and crime In 1998, the young, blacks, and males were most vulnerable to violent crime: -- 1 in 12 persons age 12 to 15, compared to 1 in 357 age 65 or more -- 1 in 24 blacks, compared to 1 in 28 whites -- 1 in 23 males, compared to 1 in 33 females (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice) -Teenagers and young adults were more likely to become victims of violent crime than older persons. In 1998, about a third of all victims of violent crime were ages 12 to 19 and almost half of all victims of violence were under age 25. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice) -The percent of students reporting street gang presence at school nearly doubled between 1989 and 1995, increasing from 15.3% to 28.4%. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice) -Homicide is the second leading cause of death for persons 15-24 years of age and is the leading cause of death for African-American and Hispanic youths in this age-group (Anderson RN, Kochanek KD, Murphy SL. Report of final mortality statistics, 1995. Monthly vital statistics report 45, 11(2 Suppl) 1997). -In 1996, 6,548 young people 15-24 years old were victims of homicide. This amounts to an average of 18 youth homicide victims per day in the U.S. ( National Summary of Injury Mortality Data, 1988-1996. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, November, 1998 (Unpublished)). Statistics on Teen Smoking -Approximately 80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Every day, nearly 3,000 young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers. More than 5 million children living today will die prematurely because of a decision they will make as adolescents---the decision to smoke cigarettes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

-An estimated 2.1 million people began smoking on a daily basis in 1997. More than half of these new daily smokers were younger than age 18. This translates to more than 3,000 new youth smokers per day. The rate of youth initiation of daily smoking increased somewhat from 55.5 to 74.9 per 1,000 potential new users between 1991 and 1996, but remained level in 1997(the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) -Nearly all first use of tobacco occurs before high school graduation. -Most young people who smoke are addicted to nicotine and report that they want to quit but are unable to do so. -Tobacco is often the first drug used by young people who use alcohol and illegal drugs. -Among young people, those with poorer grades and lower self-images are most likely to begin using tobacco. -Over the past decade, there has been virtually no decline in smoking rates among all teens. Among black adolescents, however, the prevalence of smoking has declined dramatically. -Young people who come from a low-income family and have fewer than two adults living in their household are especially at risk for becoming smokers. (Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People, U.S. Surgeon General Report, 1994) Statistics on Drugs among Teens -There were an estimated 708,000 new inhalant users in 1997, up from 332,000 in 1989. The rate of first use among youths age 12-17 rose significantly from 1989 to 1995, from 8.4 to 18.8 per 1,000 potential new users, and remained level after that. For young adults age 18-25, there was an increase in the rate of first use between 1989 and 1996 (from 3.7 to 10.7 per 1,000 potential new users) and a leveling off in 1997 (9.2 per 1,000 potential new users). (The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) -More than half (56 percent) of youths age 12-17 reported that marijuana was easy to obtain in 1998. This is an increase from 1992, when 51 percent reported that marijuana was easy to obtain. (The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) -The percent of the population reporting that they had been approached by someone selling drugs in the past month decreased from 9.2 percent in 1992 to 6.1 percent in 1998. However, among youths age 12-17 years, the percent was 13.7 percent in 1998, similar to the percentage in 1992 (13.4 percent). (The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) Statistics on Alcohol among Teens -More than 40% of teens who admitted drinking said they drink when they are upset; 31%

said they drink alone; 25% said they drink when they are bored; and 25% said they drink to "get high." (U.S. Surgeon General, 1991) -Each year, students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, more than they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee or books combined. On a typical campus, per capita students spending for alcohol--$446 per student--far exceeds the per capita budget of the college library. (Eigen, 1991 in the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse). -Nearly one-third of college students surveyed said they wished alcohol was not available at campus events, and nearly 90% wished that other drugs would disappear from campuses. (Core Institute, 1993) -Approximately 240,000 to 360,000 of the nation's 12 million current undergraduates will ultimately die from alcohol-related causes--more than the number that will get MAs and PhDs combined. (Eigen, 1991 in the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) -Sixty percent of college women diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease were drunk at the time of infection. (Advocacy Institute, 1992) Statistics on Drinking and Driving Among Teens -Eight young people a day die in alcohol-related crashes. (CSAP, 1996) (Mothers Against Drunk Driving website) Statistics on Teens and Television -Percentage of teenagers 13-17 who can name the city where the US Constitution was written (Philadelphia): 25. Percentage of teenagers 13-17 who know where you find the zip code 90210 (Beverly Hills): 75 ( Survey conducted by the National Constitution Center (NCC), Philadelphia, 1998. ) -Percentage of children ages 5-17 who have a TV in their bedroom: 52 (BJK&E Media report, The New York Times, December 30, 1997. ) -Hours per day that TV is on in an average US home: 7 hours, 12 minutes (BJK&E Media report, The New York Times, December 30, 1997. -Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 38.5 (American Family Research Council, "Parents Fight Time Famine' as Economic Pressures Increase," 1990.) Statistics on Dropouts -In 1997, the dropout rate for students ages 16 to 24 was 11 percent, indicating a slight decrease from the 1990 figure. The dropout rate for white students is lower than the rates for Hispanic and black students. For example, in 1997, the dropout rate for white, nonHispanic students was 8 percent, 13 percent for black students and 25 percent for Hispanic

students. (National Center for Education Statistics, U. S. Department of Education, Digest of Education Statistics, 1998, Table 105, page 124).

Throughout the years, professionals have worked hard to define the root influences of teen pregnancy. Some of those factors include: Peer Pressure: Many teenage females admit to having sexual intercourse in response to their boyfriend's desire for it. In fact, a 2003 Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that one in three young men aged 15 -17 said they had felt pressure from male friends to have sex. Contraceptive Use: Nearly 50 percent of adolescents state that they believed that teen pregnancy often results from the failure to keep contraception readily available. Parental Relationship : The likelihood of becoming pregnant as a teen can increase if one's parents are inattentive, unloving or fail to instill moral values. The occurrence of adolescent pregnancy also corresponds to a breakdown in communication between parent and child. Mass Media: Many teens admit that sexualized content in film, television and music helps influence them to engage in sexual activity before they are ready. Acceptance: An adolescent might become pregnant to satisfy a desire for unconditional love. A young girl might also become pregnant in an attempt to retain or win back a boyfriend. Limiting Teen Pregnancies Many health educators argue thatcomprehensive sex educationwill effectively reduce the number of teen pregnancies. Although,opponents argue that such education encourages earlier sexualactivity. In the UK, the teen pregnancy strategy, which is based out of the Children, Young People and Families directorate in the Department for Education and Skills, works on several levels to reduce teen pregnancy and increase the social inclusion of teenage mothers and their families by: Making sure branches of government, health and education services work together effectively. Increasing sex education and improving contraceptive/advice services for young people. Supporting the parents of teenagers by encouraging them to talk about sex and relationships. Increasing support for teenage mothers by helping them return to education. Providing advice and support for young fathers. The teen pregnancy strategy has had mixed success. Although teen pregnancies have fallen overall, they have not fallen consistently in every region and in some areas they have increased.

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Publications

Teen Sex: Truth and Consequences

By Douglas J. Besharov and Karen N. Gardiner This article originally appeared in The Orlando Sentinel, February 21, 1993. As a result, there will be about 1 million pregnancies, resulting in 406,000 abortions, 134,000 miscarriages and 490,000 live births. Of the births, about 313,000, or 64 percent, will be out of wedlock . And about 3 million teen-agers will suffer from a sexually transmitted disease, including AIDS . This epidemic of teen pregnancy and infection has set off firestorms of debate in school systems across the country. Both sides have rallied around the issue of condom distribution as if it were a referendum on teen sexuality. Proponents argue that teen-agers will have sex whether contraceptives are available or not, so public policy should aim to reduce the risk of pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases by making condoms easily available. Opponents claim that such policies implicitly endorse teen sex and will only worsen the problem. The causes of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, however, run much deeper than the public rhetoric that either side suggests. Achieving real change in the sexual behavior of teen-agers will require action on a broader front. More active and younger Some things are not debatable: Every year, more teen-agers are having more sex, they are having it with increasing frequency, and they are starting at younger ages. There are four principal sources of information about the sexual practices of teen -agers: the National Survey of Family Growth, a national in -person survey of women ages 15-44 conducted in 1982 and again in 1988; the National Survey of Adolescent Males, a survey of males ages 15-19 conducted in 1988 and 1991; the National Survey of Young Men, a 1979 survey of 17-to l9-year-olds; and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a 1990 questionnaire-based survey of 11,631 males and females in grades 9-12 conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, the Abortion Provider Survey, performed by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, collects information about abor tions and those who provide them. With minor variations caused by differences in methodology, each survey documents a sharp increase in the sexual activity of American teen-agers. All these surveys, however, are based on the self-reports of young people and must be interpreted with care. For example, one should always take young males' reports about their sexual exploits with a grain of salt. In addition, the social acceptability of being a virgin may have decreased so much that this, more than any change i n behavior, has led to the higher reported rates of sexual experience. The following statistics should therefore be viewed as indicative of trends rather than as precise and accurate measures of current behavior. A cursory glance at National Survey on Family Growth reports shows that there was indeed a sexual revolution. Teen-agers in the early 1970s were twice as likely to have had sex as were teen-agers in the early 1960s. The trend of increased sexual activity continued well into the late 1980s. Rates of sexual experience increased about 45 percent between 1970 and 1980 and increased another 20 percent in just three years, from 1985 to 1988, but rates have now apparently plateaued. Today, over half of all unmarried teen-age girls report that they have engaged in sexual intercourse at least once. These aggregate statistics for all teen-agers obscure the second remarkable aspect of this 30-year trend: Sexual activity is starting at ever-younger ages. And teens are not only having sex earlier, they are also having sex with more partners. Almost 7 percent of ninth-grade females told the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 1990 that they had had

intercourse with four or more different partners, while 19 percent of males the same age reported having done so. By the 12th grade, 17 percent of girls and 38 percent of boys reported having four or more sexual partners. A major component of these increases has been the rise in sexual activity among middle-income teen-agers. Between 1982 and 1988, the proportion of sexually ac tive females in families with incomes equal to or greater than 200 percent of the poverty line increased from 39 percent to 50 percent. At the same time, the proportion of females from poorer families who had ever had sexremained stable at 56 percent. Until recently, black teens had substantially higher rates of sexual activity than whites. Now, the differences between older teens of both races have narrowed. But once more, these aggregate figures obscure underlying age differentials. For males and females, the gap narrowed between the 15-year-old and 18year-old groups. Finding birth control Many people believe that there would be less teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases if contraceptives were simply more available to teen-agers, hence the call for sex education at younger ages, condoms in the schools, and expanded family planning programs in general. (In Florida, a task force appointed by the governor has recommended that condoms be made available to high school students. Some school districts in Central Florida have passed resolutions against the idea.) But an objective look at the data reveals that availability is not the prime factor determining contraceptive use. Almost all young people have access to at least one form of contraception. In a national survey conducted in 1979 by Melvin Zelnik and Young Kim of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, more than three quarters of 15-to 19-year-olds reported having had a sex education course, and 75 percent of those who did remembered being told how to obtain contraception. Condoms are freely distributed by family planning clinics and other public health services. They are often sitting in a basket in the waiting room. Edwin Delattre, acting dean of Boston University's School of Education and an opponent of condom distribution in public schools, found that free condoms were available at eight different locations within a 14 block radius of one urban high school. And, of course, any boy or girl can walk into a drugstore and purchase a condom, sponge or spermicide. Price is not an inhibiting factor: Condoms cost as little as 50 cents. Although it might be a little embarrassing to purchase a condom - mumbling one's request to a pharmacist who invariably asks you to speak up used to be a rite of passage to adulthood - young people do not suffer the same stigma, scrutiny or self-consciousness teen-agers did 30 years ago. Teen-agers can also obtain contraceptives such as pills and diaphragms from family planning clinics free of charge or on a sliding fee scale. In 1992, more than 4,000 federally funded clinics served 4.2 million women, some as young as 13. In all states except Utah, teen -agers can use clinic services without parental consent. To receive free services under the Medicaid program, however, a teen-ager must present the family's Medicaid card to prove eligibility. The evidence suggests that as with condoms, teens know how to find a clinic when they want to. When they are younger, they do not feel the need to go to a clinic since condoms tend to be their initial form of contraception. Susan Davis of Planned Parenthood explains, "The most common reason teen -agers come is because they think they are pregnant. They get worried. Or they get vaginal infections." The median time between a female teen-ager's first sexual experience and her first visit to a clinic is one year, according to a 1981 survey of 1,200 teen -agers using 31 clinics in eight cities conducted by Laurie Zabin of JohnsHopkins. Two pieces of evidence further dispel the notion that lack of availability of contraception is the prime problem. First, reported contraceptive use has increased even more than rates of sexual activity. By 1988, the majority of sexually experienced female teens who were at risk to have an unintended pregnancy were using contraception: 79 percent. In addition, the proportion ofteen females who reported using a method of contraception at first intercourse increased from 48 percent in 1982 to 65 percent in 1988 . The second piece of evidence is that as they grow older, teen-agers shift the forms of contraception they use. Younger

teens tend to rely on condoms, whereas older teens use female-oriented methods, such as a sponge, spermicide, diaphragm or the pill, reflecting the greater likelihood t hat an older female will be sexually active. A major reason for this increase in contraceptive use is the growing numberof middle-class youths who are sexually active. But it's more than this. Levels of unprotected first sex have decreased among all socioe conomic groups. Unprotected first sex also decreased among racial groups.It's not just that teens are telling interviewers what they want to hear about contraception. Despite large increases in sexual activity, there has notbeen a corresponding increase in the number of conceptions. Between 1975 and 1988, when about 1.3 million more teen females reported engaging in sex (a 39 percent increase), the absolute number of pregnancies increased by less than 21 percent. Too often unprotected Although the conception rate among teens is declining, the enormous increase in sexual activity has created a much larger base against which the rate is multiplied. Thus there have been sharp increases in the rates of abortion, out -of-wedlock births, welfare dependency and sexually transmitted diseases as measured within the whole teen population. Teen-age sexuality does not have to translate into pregnancy, abortion, outof-wedlock births or sexually transmitted diseases. Western Europe, with roughly equivalent rates of teen sexuality, has dramatically lower rates of unwanted pregnancy.The magnitude of the problem is illustrated by data about reported condom use. Between 1979 and 1988, the reported use of a condom at last intercourse for males ages 17-19 almost tripled, from 21 percent to 58 percent. A decade of heightened concern about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases probably explains this tripling. According to Freya Sonenstein and her colleagues at the Urban Institute, more than 90 percent of males in their sample knew how AIDS could be transmitted. Eighty two percent disagreed "a lot" with the statement, "Even though AIDS is a fatal disease, it is so uncommon that it's not a big worry." As impressive as this progress was, 40 percent did not use a condom at lastintercourse. In fact, the 1991 National Survery of Adolescent Men found that there has been no increase in condom use since 1988 - even as the threat of AIDS has escalated. The roots of too -early and too-often unprotected teen sex reach deeply into our society. Actor Robin Williams reportedly asked a girlfriend, "You don't have anything I can take home to my wife, do you?" She said no, so he didn't use a condom. Now both Williams and the girlfriend have herpes, and she's suing him for infecting her. ( She claims that he contracted herpes in high school.) When fabulously successful personalities behave this way, should we be surprised to hear about an inner-city youth who refuses his social worker's entreaties to wear a condom when having sex with his AIDS-infected girlfriend? This is the challenge before us: How to change the behavior of these young men as well as the one in five sexually active female teens who report using no method of contraception. First, all the programs in the world cannot deal with one vital aspect of the problem: Many teen-agers are simply not ready for sexual relationships. They do not have the requisite emotional and cognitive maturity. Adolescents who cannot remember to hang up their bath towels may be just as unlikely to remember to use contraceptives. Current policies and programs do not sufficiently recognize this fundamental truth. At the same time, the clock cannot be turned all the way back to the innocent 1950s. Sexual mores have probably been permanently changed, especially for older teens - those who are out of high school, living on their own or off at college. For them, and ultimately all of us, the question is: How to limit the harm being done? The challenge for public policy is to pursue two simultaneous goals: to lower the rate of sexual activity, especially among young teens, and to raise the level of contraceptive use. Other than abstinence, the best way to prevent pregnancy is to use a contraceptive, and the best way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases is to use a barrier form of contraception. Meeting this challenge will take moral clarity, social honesty and political courage - three commodities in short supply these days.

Premarital Sex- How s and Why s?

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why premarital sex happens. In this globalised world, society had broadened their mind. he mind setting of teenagers is revolu tioni ed. his is where the perception of virginity as a crown for a woman is pushed away. he writers standpoint on this is how we, the society should move along with the generation. How we should also broadened our mind in expressing or talking about se x to their child. ast but not least, the mass media. elevision, radio and the utmost major source of entertainment, the internet are examples of mass media. A teenager can be symboli es as a blank white canvas, which is ready to be painted. his is where mass media comes to play. or example, the internet is a platform for teenager to meet new people. acebook had become a epidemic among teenager. Statistic shows in Asia, the two dominant age groups on acebook are 8 4 and 4 , which are 8. age group, % and

. 9% respe ctively ( acebook in Asia: otal users and

). Here shows that teenager is the major user in this social network.

So, they are communicating with strangers all the time without knowing the precaution and protocols. hey are prone to random se x because of the sense of curiosity. In conclusion, we should not blame anybody on this matter because we should work as one to curb this social ill. ather than pointing fingers to one another, premarital sex should be a topic for each parent to talk with their child for ensuring the safety of the childs sex activity. he writer cant deny that premarital sex is happening today. But the best way is not to be in the state of asceticism, but to embrace it wisely, which is to reduce the rate of pregnancy. (64 WORDS)

Bibliography
boldline. Teen Pregnancy Facts and Influences Part II. http://www.scribd.com/doc/ 69/ eenPregnancy-Facts-and-Influences-Part-II. Douglas J. Besharov, K. . ( 99 , February ). een Sex: ruth and onsequences. The Orlando Sentinel . Statistics on teens. (n.d.). Retrieved from SoundVision.com: http://www.soundvision.com/Info/teens/stat.asp