Teenagers & Unprotected Sex

Shavado Smith English 017 Teenagers & Unprotected Sex In a hyper-sexualized society that continues to thrive as each day passes, the thought of unprotected sex has lost the shock value it once possessed. It is now considered normal to hear teenagers bragging about not only their conquests but the unprotected sex they are having. "She let me go in raw" or "I told him not to use a condom" are just a couple of the phrases one can hear when listening to these conversations.

Unprotected sex as it relates to teenagers has become a big problem in the world today for two main reasons which are lack of education and lack of concern. Many are simply unaware of all the choices available in regards to protection for safe sex. There are vast options for both males and females that allow them to engage in healthy, safe sex. As a result of unprotected sex, there are increasing numbers of unplanned pregnancies and increased frequency of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among teenagers.

Lack of education is the primary cause of unprotected sex among teenagers. Not receiving adequate education can be the fault of both the parents and the individual. Teenagers often receive flawed information about safe sex from popular culture and their peers but almost always never from credible sources such as their parents, or the counseling department of their school. These misguided, ignorant teens then make poor decisions that can have detrimental, long-lasting effects on their lives.

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I have a friend who became a mother at the tender age of 17 because she was having unprotected sex; the reason she was having unprotected sex was because she thought that the “pull out” method (which is when the male ‘pulls out’ out of the vagina before ejaculation) would work. She was unaware to the fact that no doctor considers this method to be very effective because semen can leak out of the tip of the penis. Consequently, her decision to have unprotected sex led to her having to unnecessarily take on an adult responsibility.

Another factor that results in unprotected sex is unpreparedness; some teenagers are aware of unprotected sex, its lethal effects and what should be done to avoid these effects but do not take the necessary steps to avoid these problems. Sometimes it is because they are irresponsible, but it can also occur when they act in the moment and take a chance, risking their lives and that of their partner. Statistics have proven that more than half of sexually active teenagers have participated in sexual activity even though they were unprepared to have safe sex.

Nonchalance towards this serious matter is a reason why so many teenagers are not being responsible and having safe sex. The predominant effects of unprotected sex by teenagers are unplanned pregnancies and an increased risk of being a victim of a sexually transmitted disease. An unplanned pregnancy has an explicit correlation to unprotected sex. According to an article Teenhelp. com statistics show that our ‘neighbor’, the United States of America, has approximately 820,000 teenagers become pregnant each year with 80% of them being unintended pregnancies.

In simpler terms, a little over 650,000 pregnancies are unplanned, a direct result of unprotected sex(Author Unknown). Another effect of unprotected sex is the increase number of cases with sexually transmitted diseases. Failure to have safe sex can leaves teenagers prone to STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Unfortunately, some can even contract the deadly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Many teenagers escape this horrible fate but come into contact with at least one STD if they are having unprotected sex.

Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, STDs can be contracted without penetration of the vagina by the penis. This fact lends to the cause of unprotected sex which is ignorance. Many teenagers are unaware of this fact and believe that they cannot contract STDs through other types of sex such oral or anal, however this not true. STDs can be transmitted through sexual activity that involves the vagina, the penis, the anus and the mouth. It is clear that there are direct correlations between the causes and effects of unprotected sex among teenagers.

Statistics, professional opinion and personal experience all support this statement. Teenagers who lack proper sexual education are more likely to experience these effects than those who are educated. The same applies for teenagers who are more concerned about their sexual well-being; if they take the necessary steps to ensure they always have safe sex or at the very least, limit the number of times they have unprotected sex, their chances of experiencing the effects of unprotected sex are decreased.

It is my belief that failure to expose teenagers to more sex education in schools and at home will only compound the current problem. Teenagers should be comfortable to ask sex-related questions because sexual intercourse is a natural occurrence that can be wonderful and have no repercussions when handled properly and maturely. Unprotected sex among teenagers is an epidemic that is becoming a global problem. There is not a country that is not dealing with teenagers becoming not only sexually active at a young age, but also being uneducated and unprepared.

The causes and effects of unprotected sex among teenagers is a problem that must be dealt with and swiftly! When will we begin to take this on growing pandemonium seriously? We currently have an abundance of adolescents and pre-teens that are having unprotected sex and becoming mothers/fathers and/or being infected from STDs? I can only hope that the causes of unprotected sex among teenagers are taken more seriously and precautions are taken so that one day we will be able to live in a world free of “mistakes” which is in correlation with unplanned pregnancies and contracting STI’s.

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