Boys put pressure on girls for sex

Wednesday, 5th November 2008

Boys put pressure on girls for sex

Published Date: 05 November 2008

A study of sexual attitudes among 14 to 16-year-olds found teenage
boys thought it was acceptable to pressure girls into sex and to use
alcohol to get them into bed, a research team said today

Researchers from Sheffield University said their analysis of groups of
sexually active teenagers showed considerable differences between the
way boys and girls looked at sexual scenarios.

Mark Hayter, who was part of the team, said: "Male and female
attitudes clearly differed.

"The girls' responses were more empathic and complex because they face
more complex social pressures when it comes to having sex.
"The young men on the other hand appeared to follow behaviour patterns
that included pressuring girls to have sex, often with the use of
alcohol.
"We also noticed that the boys often used aggressive language about
relationships - an element that was missing from the girls' focus
groups. For example, they suggested that a girlfriend who slept around
would probably pay a physical price and that using tactics like
getting a girl drunk were acceptable."

The team used focus groups to study the attitudes of 35 youngsters who
had gone to nurse-led sexual health outreach clinics for
contraception.

Dr Hayter said: "In one of the boys' focus groups there was even a
suggestion that it was OK for a boy to force his girlfriend to have
sex and the group started trying to differentiate between 'just a bit
of pressure' and 'proper rape'."

He went on: "The girls who took part in our focus groups were more
likely to see their partner's point of view and were more aware of the
complex nature of relationships than the boys."

The teenagers taking part attended clinics in areas of high teenage
pregnancy rates.

The participants were presented with a series of scenarios to discuss
- a girl and a boy both reluctant to have sex, a girl who had had a
number of partners and a girl who felt pressured to have sex because
her friends had paired off with two boys leaving her with a third.

"The objective of this study was to explore the broad gender-based
attitudes and opinions towards all of the case studies, not just to
explore any differences between attitudes towards any one particular
case study" said Dr Hayter, who carried out the research with
Christina Harrison, a sexual health specialist nurse from Doncaster
Primary Care Trust.

The team conceded that the focus group situation could have encouraged
the boys and girls to conform to stereotypical behaviour but pointed
out how, in the real world, teenagers' behaviour is shaped by the sort
of peer pressure displayed during the sessions.

Dr Hayer said: "Studies from the USA, Europe and Asia all indicate
that adolescence is a time of sexual vulnerability.

"The UK certainly reflects this trend and has one of the highest rates
of teenage pregnancies and STIs in Europe.
"In some areas it is common to see pregnancy rates of up to 19 per
1000 in the 13-16 age group."
He added: "Providing information and contraception is only one element
of promoting sexual health.
"When it comes to female clients, nurses should develop interventions
that can strengthen self-esteem and teach young girls how to respond
positively to the social pressures they face around sex.
"It would also be helpful to encourage young male clients to empathise
with their female partners.
"Last, but definitely not least, clinics need to treat alcohol use by
their clients as a higher priority, integrating advice and help about
harmful drinking into their sexual health promotion work."
The study is published today in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Boys-put-pressure-on-girls.4662612.jp

*****

Teen boys use alcohol for sex

Pressure ... new survey reveals differences in sexual attitudes

By STAFF REPORTER

Published: Today

TEEN boys think it is acceptable to pressure girls into sex and use
alcohol to get them into bed, a shocking new study has revealed today.

The study looked at sexual attitudes of 14 to 16-year-olds and
researchers say it showed big differences in the way boys and girls
look at sex.

Mark Hayter, who was part of the team, said: “Male and female
attitudes clearly differed.

Pressures

“The girls’ responses were more empathic and complex because they face
more complex social pressures when it comes to having sex.

“The young men on the other hand appeared to follow behaviour patterns
that included pressuring girls to have sex, often with the use of
alcohol.

“We also noticed that the boys often used aggressive language about
relationships - an element that was missing from the girls’ focus
groups. For example, they suggested that a girlfriend who slept around
would probably pay a physical price and that using tactics like
getting a girl drunk were acceptable.”

The team used focus groups to study the attitudes of 35 youngsters who
had gone to nurse-led sexual health outreach clinics for
contraception.

‘ In one of the focus groups there was a suggestion that it was OK
for a boy to force his girlfriend to have sex and the group started
trying to differentiate between 'just a bit of pressure' and 'proper
rape'. ’

Dr Hayter said: “In one of the boys’ focus groups there was even a
suggestion that it was OK for a boy to force his girlfriend to have
sex and the group started trying to differentiate between ’just a bit
of pressure’ and ’proper rape’.”

He went on: “The girls who took part in our focus groups were more
likely to see their partner’s point of view and were more aware of the
complex nature of relationships than the boys.”

The teenagers taking part attended clinics in areas of high teenage
pregnancy rates.

The participants were presented with a series of scenarios to discuss
– a girl and a boy both reluctant to have sex, a girl who had had a
number of partners and a girl who felt pressured to have sex because
her friends had paired off with two boys leaving her with a third.

The team conceded that the focus group situation could have encouraged
the boys and girls to conform to stereotypical behaviour but pointed
out how, in the real world, teenagers’ behaviour is shaped by the sort
of peer pressure displayed during the sessions.

Dr Hayter said: “Studies from the USA, Europe and Asia all indicate
that adolescence is a time of sexual vulnerability.

“The UK certainly reflects this trend and has one of the highest rates
of teenage pregnancies and STIs in Europe.

“In some areas it is common to see pregnancy rates of up to 19 per
1000 in the 13-16 age group.”

He added: “Providing information and contraception is only one element
of promoting sexual health."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1895853.ece

****
WM
www.critest.com
.

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