Factors of Promiscuity in Children

Simona Morris English 1102

Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to monitor what their children are being exposed to. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the level of sexual activity in adolescents in the United States has increased within the last three decades. With their peers, the media, and even home life playing as key factors in their developmental process, children can sometimes be exposed to certain sexual activity and behavior that can potentially have a negative effect on them. The purpose of my inquiry topic is to further explore sexual promiscuity when it relates to children. I would like to raise the question of how does sexual promiscuity influence children in our society today. I will also be looking closely at the causes and effects of such behavior.

Introduction

According to Michael Ungar, Ph.D. A family therapist, researcher at Dalhousie University, and the author of The We Generation: Raising Socially Responsible Kids , it is becoming the norm for children in our sociaty today to start view sexually explicit websites. In a recent article he published entitled Are Children Harmed Viewing Sexually Explicit Websites? He explored the dangers of the internet and the effect it may be having on childrens sexual experimentation. He spoke of a research study that was conducted on New York adolescents visiting a health clinic. The study found that 55% of the participants admitted that they had viewed a sexually explicit website and that those that did were more likely than their peers to engage in high-risk sexual activity. His position on the topic was very matter of fact, children are going to seek out answers for their questions about sex. It is only natural for them to be curious about their bodies. It is our responsibility as the adults and older generation to provide them with the information they are seeking at age appropriate levels in order to ensure the inaccuracies of the internet are not the sole source of information for our youth.

Psychology Today

This article was clearly targeted towards adults, especially those dealing with young children who may be entering puberty and starting to wonder about those more uncomfortable subjects surrounding development and sexual behavior. Dr. Ungar brought up some extremely valid points surrounding my topic of childhood promiscuity and seemed to be able to adequately support his position. He was convincing in his clear cut and concise argument that young children need to be exposed to sexual education that is age appropriate by their parents and maybe even their school system before they are driven to the erotic, explicit and often dismissive of dangers pornographic internet.

About the Source

Though the evidence found by the New York study may have been some what surprising and more than slightly compelling unfortunately it still isn't altogether clear as to which comes first. Is it children's promiscuity, sexual activity following drug use, and other risky sexual behaviors or whether kids who are already interested in these behaviors are looking to the internet for more sexually explicit information. It has ultimately been determined that more research would need to be conducted in order to determine in what order these events occur and how big and bad of an influence the internet really is having on children's promiscuous activity.

Thoughts to Explore

Peer Pressure: Beyond Rhetoric to Reality

Amongst youth, there is a common misconception that all of their peers are sexually active which makes them feel as if such behavior is a norm. In Peer Pressure: Beyond Rhetoric to Reality, peer pressure and how it relates to youths sexual activity is examined. Concerning first time sexual experiences of youth today, national representative studies have shown that a percentage of adolescents related the experience with the term pressure. They were either the person being pressured into sex or felt as if they were the one pressuring their partner. Basically, the studies conducted concluded that pressure is a contributing factor that affects youths decisions to participate in sexual activity. Through this article, it is apparent that young men tend to become sexually active as a way to gain acceptance from their peers while young girls tend to feel as if they are obligated to please their sexual partner.

In the article, Peer Pressure: Beyond Rhetoric to Reality, the question of what exactly is peer pressure is raised. The article is based off of research that was conducted to examine the sexual behavior of youth. It focused deeply on the term peer pressure and looked at how it can have an effect on a childs sexual behavior. Due to the level of statistics and that was offered throughout the article, one would suggest that an appropriate audience member may be a psychology who is conducting a study on adolescent sexual activity. A parent who is curious about what their child could potentially be going through sexually when peer pressure is involved may also find some interest in the article. Through my inquiry project, I would like to educate parents of the contributing factors of child promiscuity. Peer pressure plays a role as one of these factors and I would like to use my inquiry project to further give parents insight on ways they can educate their child about sex before their friends or potiential sexual partner get to them.

About the source

There is no way around the fact that children have an influence

over one another. It is up to the parent to raise their child with enough knowledge to make the right decisions for themselves in the end. When it comes to making decisions about sexual activity, parents should make it their duty to educate their child to the best of their ability. But how can parents adequetly educate their children about sex if their peers are so involved in their lives? Is there a way parents can reduce the amount of sexual behavior their children are exposed to? How does school become a factor in this type of sexual behavior?

Thoughts to Explore

American Psychological Association

According to the American Psychological Association, child sexual abuse is a very relevant issue in the United States today although most cases are unreported. It is not only physical sexual contact, but it is also abuse that doesnt require any physical touching such as actions like exposing ones self to a child or child pornography. Child sexual abuse can be done by a peer of the child and it is also stated that girls are more likely to get sexually abused but men seem to feel a sense of accomplishment by the fact that they began partaking in sexual activity at an early. Men usually get this feeling of achievement regardless of the fact that they were abused and forced to participate in sexual activity. There are many negative effects that come with child sexual abuse. Being sexually abused as a child may cause the child to become anxious and act out sexually inappropriately. A way one can hint that a child may have experienced some type of sexual abuse is if that child has developed sexual knowledge, sexual interest, or is acting out sexually.

This webpage relates to my inquiry question because sexual abuse is something that can have a negative effect on a childs developmental process. It can hinder them from practicing healthy sexual behavior in the future and cause them to act out promiscusly now. Someone who is a parent, possibly even a foster parent, may be interested in this webpage. Many foster parents deal with children who have been objected to sexual abuse. This webpage provided accurate and insightful comments about what sexual abuse is and how a child may be effected. It even provided helpful tips to keep children from becoming a victim of sexual abuse. The source would be very useful for anyone trying to properly educate themselves on the topic

About The Source

How can someone tell that a child is being sexually abused or has been previously abused in the past? What are the signs and what should one do to help a child has been abused better cope? Sexual abuse of children is a serious issue that can have an extremely negative effect on a childs mental and physical health. It is vital that children who have been sexually violated seek help from a professional to help them cope with what has happened to them. They should also seek some type of assisstence when trying to distighuish what is socially acceptable behavior for a child and what is considered inapporpriately promiscuous.

Thoughts to Explore

Dr. Christopher Fulton, clinical psychologist, states that the first step to helping your child develop healthy sexual behavior is to figure out where is this behavior coming from and why does the child feel the need to act out sexually. In many cases, the child is trying to fill some type of void. Some may be seeking attention and the only person there to give it at the time is a potential sexual partner. Fulton continued by expressing that it is helpful that the parents of the child who is acting out promiscuously take it upon theirself to educated their child.

Talking about promiscuity or risky behaviors

This video was without a doubt intended for parent who are interested in talking to their children about sex. The children of these parent may have been displaying some innappropriate behavior that the parents may want to talk to them about. This film ties great with my inquiry question because it provides a clear understanding as to how a child should be approached and talked to once it becoumes apparent that they are acting out sexually. From my inquiry project, I would like parents to be able to take away tips that will better help them educate their children and I would like the children to become more aware of the dangers of promiscuous behavior. I found this video very relevant because it discussed both of those objectives.

About The Source

The video raised the topic of self esteem and how it ties with promiscuous behavior in children. The idea that children may be participating and sexual activity because it does something for their self esteem is a thought that I would like to further explore. I would also like to do more research about the dangers of promiscuos behavior for children. Dr. Fulton how important it is to use a variety of source to stay objective and get both sides of the argument when talking to children. I would like to use that same approach when conducting further research on my inquiry question.

Thoughts to Explore

Maxwell, Claire, and Elaine Chase. "Peer Pressure - beyond Rhetoric to Reality." Peer Pressure - beyond Rhetoric to Reality 8 (2008): 303-14. Print. "Sexual Promiscuity in Adolescents." Aspen Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. <http://aspeneducation.crchealth.com/factsheetindex/factsheetpromiscuity/>.

"Talking about Promiscuity or Risky Behaviors." Kidsinthehouse.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. <http://www.kidsinthehouse.com/video/talking-about-promiscuity-or-riskybehaviors>.
"Understanding Child Sexual Abuse: Education, Prevention and Recovery." Http://www.apa.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. <http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/brochures/sex-abuse.aspx?item=6>. Ungar, Michael. "Are Children Harmed Viewing Sexually Explicit Websites?" Psychology Today.com. Psychology Today, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nurturing-resilience/201202/are-childrenharmed-viewing-sexually-explicit-websites>.

Work Cited