Sexual Activity In Australia Essay
In Australia, teenagers have a higher chance of getting infected with an STI or an STD than any age group. This is due to the legal age of sexual activity in Australia which is sixteen. I believe that the legal age for sexual activity in Australia should be raised to twenty-one due to the following statements.
In this generation, teenagers are constantly exposed to sexual content by modern media which can influence adolescence. Things like music, films, social media, religion, family background and social life/friends can leave an impact on teenagers and their choices. At the age of sixteen (the legal age for consent), the brain has not yet been developed to understand the consequences of their actions. The Advocates for Youth community put together statistics coming from different sources explaining the topic. They found that “Six percent of all U.S. high school students had sexual intercourse before age 13”. “Thirty-nine percent of all sexually active U.S. high school students did not use a condom at last intercourse”. These statistics all link up to the legal age of sexual activity in Australia which is …show more content…
sixteen. This must be changed to lower the numbers and prevent the spread of infections and diseases.
The physical consequences of sexual activity amongst teenagers can range from STI’s, STD’s and unwanted pregnancy.
An STI or an STD is a Sexually Transmitted Infection or Disease that can only be spread through sexual activity. Preventing STI’s and STD’s require contraceptives. Contraceptives are tools that are used in sexual intercourse that prevent the risk of pregnancy or STI’s. There are two types of contraceptives. Non-barrier contraceptives or barrier contraceptives. These in which are used for a purpose to prevent or to protect. Using contraceptives are necessary for safe sex for all sexually active people. For example, The Advocates of Youth community put together statistics on the topic, this is what they conducted. “New HIV infections increased by 21 percent among U.S. adolescents and young adults aged 13 - 29, from 15,600 in 2006 to 18,800 in
2009”
This is due to adolescence not using common barrier-contraceptives (e.g. Condoms, Vaginal Rings, Latex Sheath and diaphragms)
Sexual Activity amongst teenagers can not only affect yourself in different ways, but it can also affect the social aspects of your life and your relationship’s you have with different people. For instance, being sexually active and having other people be conscious about it can lead to bullying, shaming and divisions from your social life if not kept private. This can also affect the person emotionally and mentally by causing them anxiety and confusion. Trusting and knowing the person that teenagers chose to have sex is also a big part of intercourse. If not, this can lead to unsafe sexual activities which can be very dangerous. Following physical and emotional pain.
In conclusion, I believe that the legal age for sexual activities in Australia should not be sixteen. The legal age should be raised to twenty-one. The reason why I believe this is due to the fact that sixteen is an age where the teenagers brain is undeveloped and not yet old enough to make the correct choices with the people in which they choose the participate in sexual activities with. Unsafe sex is common amongst adolescence which can lead to STI’s and unwanted pregnancy’s. Sexual intercourse at a young age can also affect the persons’ relationships, social life and physical and emotional development. Twenty-one is in fact the age where the persons’ brain is fully developed which with lead to correct and responsible choice making. This is why I believe the legal age for sexual activities should be twenty-one.
In this generation, teenagers are constantly exposed to sexual content by modern media which can influence adolescence. Things like music, films, social media, religion, family background and social life/friends can leave an impact on teenagers and their choices. At the age of sixteen (the legal age for consent), the brain has not yet been developed to understand the consequences of their actions. The Advocates for Youth community put together statistics coming from different sources explaining the topic. They found that “Six percent of all U.S. high school students had sexual intercourse before age 13”. “Thirty-nine percent of all sexually active U.S. high school students did not use a condom at last intercourse”. These statistics all link up to the legal age of sexual activity in Australia which is …show more content…
sixteen. This must be changed to lower the numbers and prevent the spread of infections and diseases.
The physical consequences of sexual activity amongst teenagers can range from STI’s, STD’s and unwanted pregnancy.
An STI or an STD is a Sexually Transmitted Infection or Disease that can only be spread through sexual activity. Preventing STI’s and STD’s require contraceptives. Contraceptives are tools that are used in sexual intercourse that prevent the risk of pregnancy or STI’s. There are two types of contraceptives. Non-barrier contraceptives or barrier contraceptives. These in which are used for a purpose to prevent or to protect. Using contraceptives are necessary for safe sex for all sexually active people. For example, The Advocates of Youth community put together statistics on the topic, this is what they conducted. “New HIV infections increased by 21 percent among U.S. adolescents and young adults aged 13 - 29, from 15,600 in 2006 to 18,800 in
2009”
This is due to adolescence not using common barrier-contraceptives (e.g. Condoms, Vaginal Rings, Latex Sheath and diaphragms)
Sexual Activity amongst teenagers can not only affect yourself in different ways, but it can also affect the social aspects of your life and your relationship’s you have with different people. For instance, being sexually active and having other people be conscious about it can lead to bullying, shaming and divisions from your social life if not kept private. This can also affect the person emotionally and mentally by causing them anxiety and confusion. Trusting and knowing the person that teenagers chose to have sex is also a big part of intercourse. If not, this can lead to unsafe sexual activities which can be very dangerous. Following physical and emotional pain.
In conclusion, I believe that the legal age for sexual activities in Australia should not be sixteen. The legal age should be raised to twenty-one. The reason why I believe this is due to the fact that sixteen is an age where the teenagers brain is undeveloped and not yet old enough to make the correct choices with the people in which they choose the participate in sexual activities with. Unsafe sex is common amongst adolescence which can lead to STI’s and unwanted pregnancy’s. Sexual intercourse at a young age can also affect the persons’ relationships, social life and physical and emotional development. Twenty-one is in fact the age where the persons’ brain is fully developed which with lead to correct and responsible choice making. This is why I believe the legal age for sexual activities should be twenty-one.