TEENAGE SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR

Teenage Sexual Behaviour

Teenage Sexual Behaviour

Teenage Sexual behaviour has changed in the last 50 years, not so much sexual behaviour but society's attitude towards it. After the 2nd World War and in the 1950's sexual behaviour was a very taboo subject and not openly discussed. Sex was conducted behind closed doors and in the confines of marriage. Sex was mainly for reproductive purposes and pleasure was not such important. When a woman got pregnant outside of marriage and the father was around they were made to marry (shotgun wedding) as this brought great shame on the family. Adoption and unmarried mother homes were in existence and the church normally ran these. Children born to these mothers were put up for adoption. Church values were very strong and church leaders had a lot of say in the way family life was conducted.( DaLamater, 1998)

Alfred Kinsey conducted a major study in the 1940's and 1950's of sexual behaviour and faced condemnation from many religious organizations for being immoral. He persisted and ultimately obtained sexual life histories of 18,000 people. This showed a gap that can exist between publicly accepted behaviour and actual Teenage sexual behaviour. Sexual behaviour had undoubtedly become more permissive over the last 30 years. The 1960's brought openly declared behaviour more into line with the realities of sexual behaviour. Social movements challenged the existing order of society. The 'New Left' and Hippie Lifestyles broke with existing sexual norms, free love and pre-martial sex was adopted in their cultures. Drugs were accessible and many people lost their inhibitions while under the influence. In 1967 the Abortion Act entitled women to legal abortion on medical and social grounds, although this was a very limited service on the NHS but many private clinics opened. This and the contraceptive pill played a great ...