Everybody is NOT Doing It!

As if normal surging homones wasn't enough, peer pressure makes abstaining even harder. Everyone thinks everyone else is having sex and nobody wants to be the only one too prudish, too unpopular or too cool not to be "doing it."

News flash: Not everyone else is doing it. More people are NOT doing it, but they don't want to admit it. And most of those who are not doing it aren't doing it by choice.

Here are some numbers for you:

1988:

% of high school boys who are virgins: 39.6%

% of high school girls who are virgins: 48.9%

2002:

% of high school boys who are virgins: 54.3%

% of high school girls who are virgins: 54.4%

2004:

% of high school boys not currently sexually active: 65.5%

% of high school girls not currently sexually active: 68.8%

(Source: National Survey of Family Growth, Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Notice something about the numbers? The percentage of teen abstainers goes up! More teens are choosing to abstain, in order to protect themselves emotionally and physically, and to build healthy relationships. Many of them are just too embarrassed to admit it.

1 of 1

Next entry: Not always easy...but doable

Previous entry: Before Considering Sex