Average Age to Lose Virginity

Call it the sign of a society that is experiencing liberal thinking in its totality or the warning of potential nemesis that might affect the society, sexual practices among teenagers have increased drastically since the last decade. Studies indicate that the average age to lose virginity for boys or girls has drastically decreased in most of the countries. Expert doctors say that owing to the average age in the onset of puberty going down to 9 - 10 years for boys and 10 - 11 years for girls, the age for virginity has also gone down. Teenagers, with great confusion in their minds regarding sex,often end up getting involved in such acts and losing their virginity. Consequently, there has been an unprecedented rise in the number of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) cases and teenage pregnancy incidents among teenagers.

Average Age to Lose Virginity (2010)
Communication gap between parents and children as well as the new wave of media liberalism has led to a great wave of change in various countries. It has to be understood that any data related to virginity varies in every country, depending on the social culture prevalent in it. While western countries have been liberal since ages, some countries in East, still regard sex as a taboo. Moreover, collecting any concrete data for the loss of virginity is not an easy task owing to lack of statistical evidence available for every country. Nevertheless, the average age to lose virginity in US has been around 16.4. This doesn't mean that there are no teenagers in US involving in sexual intercourse before 16.4. There are bright chances that you may even find a 13 or 14 year kid involved in some sort of sexual activity. All over the world, kids are losing their virginity at an average age of 17.3. Remember, the data has been collected from several sources and has hence been combined to reach to an average age. They may show some variations depending on several factors. These statistics are rough estimates and are no substitute for professional expertise.


Reality Bytes
Following are some of the most important reasons counselors have sighted for such a decrease in the average age to lose virginity among general population.

• Curiosity in young age to know and understand the body has compelled teenagers to get involved on online sites and communities, giving way to cyber sex and phone sex.
• Poor upbringing of the child is another reason for engaging in sexual activities, to attract negative attention from parents.
• Poor emotional attachment to family members and inability to share their feelings. Moreover, if parents are themselves involved in several flings, it's least expected that the child will develop healthy relationship with the opposite sex.
• Sex isn't a taboo anymore. Being liberal is the new age mantra that has triggered free thinking in the society. Being virgin is laughed off in today's era. Often, teens indulge in sexual activities just due to peer pressure.
• Media has created negative influence in the society. Sexuality is used as a tool to spread entertainment and it often crosses the limits, without taking into consideration a significant population that gets influenced by it.

Advice for Teenagers
Here are some tips for teenagers so that they shouldn't get in peer pressure and do what they're not comfortable in doing.

• Realize that sex education must be referred from authentic sources. Numerous information on web is not sex education but some or the other form of pornography.
• Abstinence helps in avoiding pregnancy and STDs. You're responsible to save yourself from threatening diseases.
• Don't get involved in sexual activities due to some force or if you're uncomfortable.
• Don't get in peer pressure. 90% of the facts are rumors. Don't believe any baseless rumor your peers tell you about sex or virginity.
• Wait for right age and right time for love making. Remember, sexual health is an integral part of your holistic health.

Remember, there is no right or wrong age to lose virginity, but you must ensure that you're emotionally and physical prepared for this experience. As the trends say, be it Asian countries like China, India, Japan or European countries or the USA, Brazil, France, Russia and even the African countries - the average age to lose virginity has declined everywhere. Roughly stated, most of the countries teenagers are losing their virginity below 20 years of age. Certainly, such trends leave scholars, sociologists and policy makers to think seriously about how to introduce sex education in schools and colleges, in an effective way.