SWYS 2001 News - Parents Key in Promoting Sexual Abstinence for Teens

Teen sexual behavior vs. perceived parental attitudes toward teen sexual behavior

Seventy-five percent of teens in Southwest Wisconsin report not having had sexual intercourse and 44% of those who report being sexually active report having had only one partner. Overall, 68% of teens believe people their age should not engage in sexual intercourse. Teens are more likely to abstain from sexual intercourse if their parents have communicated to them that they think it is wrong for teens to have sex.

These are among the findings of the Southwest Wisconsin Youth Survey (SWYS) survey conducted by 19 of 31 school districts in the Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) District 3 as reported by UW-Extension. More than 5,700 students in grades 7 through 12 in the school districts of Argyle, Barneveld, Benton, Belmont, Black Hawk, Cassville, Darlington, Dodgeville, Iowa-Grant, Lancaster, Mineral Point, Pecatonica, Platteville, Potosi, River Ridge, River Valley, Seneca, Shullsburg and Southwestern completed the survey in September of 2001. UW-Extension faculty in Grant, Iowa and Lafayette counties are involved in processing and presenting the findings.

According to Iowa County Family Living Agent Ruth Schriefer, "The Centers for Disease Control reports that about half of all high school students nationwide report having had sex by the age of 18. Among the teens we surveyed, there is an obvious trend of increasing numbers of teens becoming sexually active as they get older. Over 90% of seventh graders report not having had sexual intercourse. By 12th grade, the percentage drops to 46%."

"Of those teens who report being sexually active, 56% report always using some form of birth control", says Deb Ivey, Iowa County 4-H Youth Development Agent. "The younger the sexually active individual, the less likely he or she is to report always using birth control. Overall, 151 teens report having been pregnant or having made someone pregnant, and 18% of those report having had only one partner."

"In addition to teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease is a concern," says Interim Grant County Family Living Agent Christina Kenney. "When asked about sexual behaviors teens think are okay for people their age, 55% of the respondents selected behaviors which are considered to pose little or no risk, including holding hands, kissing, and fondling. Of those teens that reported being sexually active, 69% say they usually use condoms, alone or in addition to another form of birth control. While condoms do provide some measure of protection, abstinence is the only way to be sure to avoid sexually transmitted disease."

"Parental involvement in the lives of teens has a significant impact on teen sexual behavior," reports Tom Schmitz, Grant/Lafayette County Youth Development Educator. "Teens reporting clear parental rules with consistently enforced consequences are over three times more likely to report never having had sex. Teens who have not had sex are almost twice as likely (45% vs. 24%) as sexually active teens to say they have dinner with the family four or more nights a week."

Teens were also asked about attitudes toward homosexuality. Forty-seven percent of teens surveyed report they think homosexual and bisexual behavior is wrong. Nineteen percent report they would treat homosexual and bisexual people differently than heterosexual people, and another 6% say homosexual and bisexual people should be punished. Males tend to be less tolerant of homosexual and bisexual people than females.

The SWYS survey was funded in large part by the Grant County Tobacco-Free Coalition, the Lafayette County Tobacco-Free Coalition and the Iowa County Tobacco Coalition. Other funders included Lafayette County Families First, participating school districts, the Department of Transportation, United Way of Iowa County, Iowa County Family Preservation and Support, UW-Extension Southern District Resource Management Team, the Biddick Foundation, the Alliant Foundation, and the Iowa County Domestic Violence Task Force.

A full report on the SWYS survey results is due out this spring. Schmitz, Kenney, Ivey and Schriefer are also giving community presentations on the data. For more information on the survey contact your local school district, Schmitz and Kenney at 723-2125 or Ivey and Schriefer at 935-0391.

Return to 2001 News Releases

Tom Schmitz, Grant/Lafayette County Youth Development Educator
Youth and Agriculture Center P.O. Box 31, Lancaster, WI 53813
Phone: 608-723-2125   Fax: 608:723-4315   
E-mail: thomas.schmitz@ces.uwex.edu