They may live in a sexually charged culture that essentially encourages them to have sex, but nearly 70 percent of high school-age teens are virgins, according to a new study of the nation’s sexual habits.
Published in the October issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the study surveyed 820 adolescents nationwide via the Internet, a confidential method the researchers say is more likely to produce honest answers compared to a face-to-face or phone interview. Parents had to give consent.
The study found that 69.7 percent of boys and 68.4 percent of girls ages 16–17 have never had intercourse. Among 14- to 15-year-olds, the percentage is even higher — 90.1 percent for boys and 87.6 percent for girls.
Richard Ross, cofounder of the True Love Waits abstinence movement, told Baptist Press (BP) the study proves that abstinence messages can and do work.
“Less than a third of high schoolers have ever had sex. And that includes large numbers who only have had sex once,” said Ross, assistant professor of student ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. “Also, consider that more than 60 percent of sexually experienced teenagers regret what they have done [according to data from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy]. Combining those figures reveals that only a small segment of American teenagers are committed to a sexual lifestyle.
“The vast majority are entirely open to waiting on sex,” Ross said. “Whether they do or not depends on which voices and influences around them are the strongest.”
Among 16- to 17-year-olds, 16.1 percent of boys and 20.8 percent of girls had had intercourse in the previous month.
The study also asked teens about oral sex. Depending on the question asked, between 66 and 71 percent of 16- to 17-year-old boys and girls had never participated. For 14- to 15-year-olds, it was around 87 percent for both sexes who had never participated.
Jimmy Hester, co-founder of the True Love Waits movement and the coordinator of True Love Waits for LifeWay Church Resources, said the study confirms what he has seen.
“Our experiences with True Love Waits over the past 17 years have shown a willingness on the part of students to consider and adopt God’s plan for sexual behavior outside the marriage relationship,” Hester told BP. “Once they understand the reasons behind sexual abstinence until marriage, and recognize the severe consequences when not practiced, most are willing to commit to it. The results of these types of reliable studies indicate trends toward better sexual behavior among students.” (BP)
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