Suburban Teen Sex Survey Shows Need For More Sex Ed, Disturbing Rate Of Rape

A survey about the behaviors of suburban Chicago teenagers released by the Cook County Department of Public Health Thursday revealed some disturbing information.

The results indicate that nearly one in 10 teens has attempted suicide, 40 percent have tried cigarettes and seven percent claimed they were raped.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey evaluated teens’ habits by administering a voluntary, anonymous, 91-item questionnaire to 1718 students in 20 public high schools that covered six categories: behaviors that result in violence, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors, dietary behaviors and physical activity.

It’s part of a nationwide effort led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to evaluate teen behavior, the Daily Herald reports.

The Department of Public Health hopes these findings can be used to help pinpoint problems and address specific areas where more education could diminish these risks, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

One key problem area revealed by the study’s findings is sex education in public schools. In total, 37 percent of the survey group said they’d had sex. The study breaks down results across age and race metrics and reports that 61 percent of African-American teens have had sex, 49 percent of Hispanic teens and 24 percent of Caucasian teens. About 6 percent said they lost their virginity before age 13, and only 62 percent of current sexually active teens said they used a condom the last time they had intercourse. Nearly 20 percent drank alcohol or used drugs before intercourse the last time they had sex, and over 7 percent have been forced to have sex against their will.

“Most schools don’t have comprehensive sex education and are teaching abstinence only, but clearly we have a high amount of students who are engaging in sexual activity,” Amy Poore, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Department of Public Health, told the Sun-Times.

Poore told the Sun-Times that she hopes the new data will support appeals for grant money and help push through legislation in Springfield to establish more comprehensive sex education programs.

The full results of the study are published on the Department of Public Health’s website.

Flickr photo by josemanuelerre.

Comments

[debberae]

04:17 PM on 08/29/2011

Sex-Ed Schedule for boys:
Human Reproduction
Contraceptive Methods
Respect for Personal Boundaries

Schedule of Sex-Ed classes for girls
Human Reproduction
Contraceptive Methods
Kick boxing

[Fred Beggs]

02:19 PM on 08/29/2011

I am having a hard time believing much of what this article says. For instance, "Most schools don’t have comprehensive sex education and are teaching abstinence only," This is really untrue. The truth is Chicago High Schools "DO NOT" have an "abstinence only" method of teaching. If anyone would take the time to check into it they will find out that abstinence is the encouraged method but it also teaches common sense safegaurds, such as condoms.

It always amazes me that the sex education leaves out such a strong element when teaching this subject, that is of self respect and integrity over peer pressure. That alone won't stop sexual activity and the wanting to experiment but it is an issue because once self respect is lost the tendency is to say, "What the hell, I may as well just have fun."

The days of our young men being gentlemen are over, partly do to the fact that many women consider gentlemen behavior as not liking them since the girls need approval and acceptance. They want to know they are sexy or attractive.

[kristiemaureen]

02:16 AM on 09/05/2011

I'm not familiar with Chicago schools, but I will agree with the point made in your second paragraph. This is why many of us advocate for comprehensive, medically accurate sex education that includes strong curriculum in healthy relationships - teaching boundaries, self-respect, bystander education, and positive communication.

[Fred Beggs]

12:02 PM on 09/05/2011

I couldn't agree more.

[LiveMind]

12:15 AM on 08/29/2011

"teaching abstinence only "means not teaching. And when are they teaching anything? I know 8th graders in public school who don't have a clue how their bodies work-- they've never gotten basic human anatomy and sex ed and they are 14. That's too late. It need to be pre-puberty, which is 11 on average for girls.

In Germany, they taught kids sex ed in 3rd grade.

[kingjohn1956]

10:05 PM on 08/28/2011

When i went to high school i took sex ed an I learned abstinence from my girlfriends sister.She beat me up if I even thought about touching her little sister. LOL

[bjork rules]

07:12 PM on 08/28/2011

I've lived in Chicago my entire life, but I don't think teens here are any different from teens in other parts of the US. Lack of sexual education and judgement among teens is nothing new.

[Slickone]

10:22 PM on 08/27/2011

Why does this surprise anyone?

Adolescents are hardly the innocents we as parents see them as. I'm reminded of the Subaru commercial where the guy keeps seeing his daughter as being so young behind the drivers seat.

[LiveMind]

12:18 AM on 08/29/2011

They can full well not be innocent (many of them-- but notice, still a minority are sexually active) an still be very ignorant. That's a huge problem, as they are clueless about how to prevent pregnancy and disease and hence more likely to get pregnant or get aids or syphilis or a dozen other things, and more likely to have abortions. By not teachings ex ed appropriately and appropriately early, we also lose the chance to clue kids in about various kinds of abuse, making them more likely to be victimized.

Of cours, it's mostly the anti-abortion crowd fighting the idea that we should teach kids enough so that they can prevent abortions.

[Slickone]

08:25 AM on 08/29/2011

I agree. You won't get an argument from me. With the exception a lot more are sexually active than admit it in the polls.

[redraspberry]

06:05 PM on 08/27/2011

If they would have taken the same survey 40 years ago they probably would have go the same results. Nothing new here folks, move along.....

[broui]

01:54 AM on 08/28/2011

I teach for a living.

I suggest 40 years ago, they would not have had the same results as now. I suggest sex is far more prevalent and at an earlier age now. Further, students are much more open about it.

[redraspberry]

02:54 AM on 08/28/2011

I was there 40 years ago....

[So silly]

11:40 AM on 08/27/2011

Well clearly the way to solve this problem is to teach abstinence only. As a wise man named perry said, it works.
Ha ha ha.

[lovelybunchofcoconuts]

11:11 AM on 08/27/2011

When I saw the headline the first thing I thought was

"Suburban teens need more sex, Ed."

[Help USA Taxpayer]

11:02 AM on 08/27/2011

this survey's results are hilarious ----Midwest Northerners get a big huge dent in the belief in their supremacy over happy well adjusted southerners

[Eric Mann]

10:40 AM on 08/28/2011

This is just one study. When the one about southerners comes out we will have two things to compare.

[kristiemaureen]

02:21 AM on 09/05/2011

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey isn't something that's run only in Chicago... it's a nationwide effort that's been going since 1991. In my State it's administered every other year, and the data changes are pretty disturbing. Anyway, you don't have to wait for the data for Southern States, it can be found right here:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/Default.aspx

[onwisconsin]

07:36 PM on 08/28/2011

Hey, I'm originally from Arkansas. Look at the stats from southern states on teenage pregnancies. That's where the South leads. It's because of a lack of information.

[Timothy John]

10:02 AM on 08/27/2011

What's always great about these surveys is how the questions end up teaching kids new terms and giving them new ideas. "What's a "whippets?"

[greengrl]

10:35 AM on 08/27/2011

Whippets are nitrous oxide....like at the dentist's office. Mostly found in cans of whipped cream under pressure or in small canisters that are used in at home whipped cream charging bottles. Sometimes sold in balloons that are filled from a larger nitrous tank.

Ah.....memories of Grateful Dead shows!

[lovelybunchofcoconuts]

11:11 AM on 08/27/2011

So, what IS a whippets?

[Timothy John]

11:59 AM on 08/27/2011

Basically, it's huffing out of some sort of aerosol container, like an empty whipped cream can. Needless to say, DON'T DO IT.

[lateralus1983]

01:38 AM on 08/28/2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbt30UnzRWw

[TheSardonicAtheist]

09:56 AM on 08/27/2011

It's doesn't really matter what preventive measures we take, kids will find a way. An example would be like in the movie Jurassic Park, when Jeff Goldblum's character mentions that the dinosaurs (who are all female) cannot possibly be restricted from breeding because "life finds a way." Kids will find a way.

Abstinence pledges clearly don't work and so the best thing to do is inform younger people of the risks involved in sex and how to take proper measures to protect yourself, like the use of condoms, and birth control, etc.

[GlennWatson]

09:23 AM on 08/27/2011

As a teacher I can tell you the kids laugh while taking theses surveys. The don't take them seriously.

[kca3]

09:52 AM on 08/27/2011

I would imagine the laughing may appear to be a lack of taking the survey seriously, but it is actually an indication of adolescent discomfort. After all, we treat teens like kids and don't teach them about the real situations (sex, drugs, etc.) that they are faced with and then all of a sudden we give them a survey and ask them to answer like responsible adults when this is the first occasion we've asked them to engage with these issues in a responsible, adult way.

[GlennWatson]

10:27 AM on 08/27/2011

I don't know how many of these types of surveys you have personally given but I have given dozens and what you say about them does not match my experience.

[Pax333]

09:57 PM on 08/29/2011

I can understand that. It's not exactly a situation that could reasonably be expected to strike a cord with kids....a survey given in school would be suspect on so many levels.

[Defender of Truth]

08:38 AM on 08/27/2011

Two major studies report this:

In European countries, the emphasis is placed on personal responsibility and respect, not on abstinence. Youth are given the skills they need to make well thought out decisions (and it should be noted that youth have free and convenient access to contraception through their free health insurance program). They are thought to be the ones in control of their actions; not their parents, not their school, and certainly not the government.
Perhaps most importantly, but at the same time most logically, it is science—not politics or religion that dictates policy. Research and proven interventions decide public health policy, not a conservative majority in the government (cough, cough). Sex and sex education are not seen as moral issues, but rather are seen as developmental and public health issues.

Except for England, the European studies lower rates of teen age pregnancy, abortion, and the age at which teens have their first sexual experience. Certainly the morality of sexual activity ought to be taught also. Nevertheless, these studies show conclusively that sex ed is the most effective method preventing teen sexual activity.

[Robert Frank]

08:25 AM on 08/27/2011

abstinence works ...just ask palins daughter

[Autismmomx4]

07:18 PM on 08/27/2011

or her son....who will be the father of a "premature" baby, i.e. born less than 9 months aftger the wedding!

[Pax333]

10:02 PM on 08/29/2011

When you think of it it is actually the old fashioned way. My parents and their parents told me many stories about how big and healthy premature babies were between the 20's and the 60's. Everyone knew what was going on, it was just the way things were, and a very large number of weddings came about due to a little blessing being on the way.