Too young, too curious

Adolescence is a period marked by confusion, as adolescents try to make sense of the changes in their physical appearance, as well as to establish their own identity. It is a crucial stage where being curious is not enough; that curiosity has to be satisfi ed, and the consequences can often be dire. One of the pressing concerns facing adolescents is the rise of unwanted pregnancy and incidences of sexually transmitted infections (STI) among this particular age group.

Sexual initiation among adolescents is occurring at a younger age; the typical age for boys is 13 and 14 for girls. More alarming, most of fi rst time sex were either
unplanned or non-consensual. The 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS) conducted in the Philippines showed that 57 percent of fi rst time sex fell in
the unplanned or non-consensual category. For unplanned - and therefore unsafe - sex, the risk of unwanted pregnancy and/or getting STI becomes higher.

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