Australian teenagers now see make love texting as a social norm whose dangers need to be addressed directly in class as part of sex education courses, a leading researcher warned.
Wendy (Wendy Craig), a psychology professor at Queen`s University in Canada, told an anti-bullying conference in Sydney that 13-year-olds thought all their friends were texting each other on make love. Nearly 40 percent of them said they were actually involved in the behavior.
In addition to school teaching, parents should also be ready to discuss make love with their children, she said.
"is that a question? Is that normal? There is a real argument about it. " Professor Craig told new state government last week to hold a meeting on caring, respecting and supporting anti-bullying strategies (Care.) Respect. Support Anti-Bullying Strategy).
"Developmental psychologists are starting to say that maybe make love text messaging is the normal performance of adolescent sexual behavior today, it`s a way we express ourselves through technology, and it`s designed to be a personal way to explore relationships."
"We know those who are trying to define their gender identity. This is an easier mechanism for them, for example, LGBTIQ youth are more likely to participate in [make love SMS]. "
Professor Craig said about 42 percent of young people also said they would send explicit messages or images to others, or publish them publicly, making the kind of thing that is becoming a social norm more dangerous.
Previously, a University of Sydney study of more than 2200 teenagers found that in Australia, 38 percent of 13-to 15-year-olds, 50 percent of 16-to 18-year-olds and 59 percent of people over the age of 19 said they had sent make love pictures or videos.
In addition, 62 percent of 13-to 15-year-olds, 70 percent of 16-to 18-year-olds and 68 percent of adolescents over the age of 19 said they had received make love photos or videos.
Professor Craig said that while 93 percent of Canadian students believe that other young people are doing so, making make love messaging a social norm, parents and teachers know it still lags far behind cyberbullying and cybersecurity issues.
While it is important to recognize the health of sexual behavior, especially among older students, they also need to discuss the issue of consent around it, she said.
Professor Krieger said: "Girls often feel pressured by friends, and these photos and videos are often used as a tool to retaliate against someone after a breakup."
"the frequency of make love texting and participation in other dangerous behaviors (such as drug abuse, increased risk of emotional problems, etc.) There are associations between them, and they are related to promiscuity. "
