Be a
Prepared Parent

What's going on out there?

Free to Be is committed to providing current, medically accurate information to our teens and parents. Contrary to what many think, the majority of teens are not having sex. Still, there is much reason to be concerned.

Media, Technology, and Culture

  • Most teens ages 12-19, (58% of boys and 66% of girls) believe that teen boys often receive the message that they are expected to have sex.(1)
  • Young people today spend an average of nearly 6.5 hours a day (44.5 hours/week) with media.(2)
  • A study of approximately 1,800 12-17 year olds found that teens who watched more sexual content were more likely to initiate sexual activity.(3)
  • Violence towards women or the graphic consequences of violence tends overwhelmingly to be depicted (92%) rather than implied (5%) or described (3%).(4)
  • 20% of teens (ages 13-19) overall have sent/posted nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves.(5) (22% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys)
  • 39% of teens (ages 13-19) have sent or posted sexually suggestive messages.(6)

    •  

      

1. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. "With One Voice 2007: America's Adults and Teens Sound Off About Teen Pregnancy." A Periodic National Survey. February 2007.
2. Henry J. Kaiser Foundation. "Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds." A Kaiser Family Foundation Study. March 2008.
3. Administration for Children and Families. Department of Health and Human Service. Abstinence Educator's Guide, March 2008.
4. Parents Television Council "Women in Peril: A look at TV's Disturbing New Storyline Trend." Special Report, October 2009.
5. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy "Sex and Tech; Results from a Survey of Teens and Young Adults." Cosmogirl.com, 2009.
6. Ibid.