Parents and Mental Health Professionals are often unaware of the sexual activity of Pre-Adolescent girls. We assume that because they are so young that they are not engaging in sexual behavior. This is a dangerous assumtion. Research that explored the sexual lives in pre-teenagers' (ages 8-13) as they reported in Internet Chat Rooms. Based on reports from over 2,000 young girls, the data indicate that for some young girls, their lives are filled with sexual behavior of one sort or another. They appear to be well versed in sexual terms and behaviors. In some cases, the girls are forced into sexuality by a relative; in other cases, they engage freely into sexuality with their boyfriends; in yet other cases, they are forced by an older male. These young women overwhelmingly report that their parents are unaware of their activity on the Internet, eventhough it occurred on a regular basis. These young women are at risk. They are at risk for pregnancy; they are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, not to mention the psychological effects. The data also indicate that the girls do not think about the consequences of their behavior. Birth control and condom use are not of concern to them. Parents need to be much more aware of the activities of their children on the Internet and need to monitor the behavior of their children in the Chat Rooms and myspace. They also need to become more learned and versed about children's computer activities so that they can better discuss these issues with their pre-teens.
Bio: Joan D. Atwood, Ph.D. is a social psychologist, author, and researcher in the field of Individual, Couple and Family Therapy. She has published 8 books and over 100 journal articles and has made numerous TV appearances.
» left by Judi Lake(2,669) Judi Lake (1 year 167 days ago.)
Sadly, Joan, I am not surprised. I had taken my daughter out of public school in kindergarten for specifically what your article is about: the little girls were getting sexual on the playground. I see too many children 'parenting' themselves left to discover things they are far too young to understand. Thanks for the enlightening article. Respond to this comment
» left by Joan D. Atwood from New York (1 year 167 days ago.)
Thank you for your response Judi. This situation with our children is very sad indeed. I see more and more of this issue in therapy situations. As a result this fall we are starting up young women's groups as well as anger management groups for children, adults, couples and teens. As you know, the effects of early sexuality often manifest themselves in later anger expression or body image issues. Respond to this comment
» left by m from CT (1 year 84 days ago.)
your wasting your time, how many billions do we already spend on birds and the bees sex education, nobody is listening, why! the US treats child baring young adults like children till they are 18yo, they dont want to hear about anger management their angry because they are being treated like children and sexualy frustrated by religious inspired laws,backed up by shrinks that are more that happy to priscribe drugs. remember that ad (this is your brain on drugs) the young girl with the frying pan! it was pulled by gov. shrinks because it was too graffic to realistic and changed for something softer, thats what we need for sex ed, show a happy young girl, then show her naked bloated belly, show how her life changes,never graduates living in poverty, missing out on all the fun stuff,not going to collage, not having a good job to support herself, show her having an abortion, show her friends having fun on vacation, then show her selling drugs or pimping herself or sex for drugs, show in grafic photos what her virgina and mens penis would look like with herpies, std,s and the clap, aids,show her kid playing in the gutter living a hell hole apartment, filthy kitchen, no food! We need to tell young girls the real horror story not alice in wonderland stuff.
government needs to get out of the child raring business, kids need disiplin from parents not pandering by DCF, parents are afraid to disciplin their own kids because they have been taught to turn their parents in to DCF for yelling at them, they call it verbal abuse and the parents go to jail, lose there jobs, lose there house lose their kids, the things that DCF do is criminal and outragous, family values are hidious, nobody can afford them, instead of a swat on the ass after the third time of not listening, yes they do sit up and listen ,its called fear! there is nothing wrong with fear, but now we send them to a expensive shrink who say they have dhda now they have a disese! the US has more screwed up kids that any other western country, have more 12yo having kids, doing drugs, std,s aids and ignorent children, childrens homes are at capacity, why! unatainable family values shoved down out throats by educated social workers that no nothing about the reality of life, just whats in the books that are writen by other shrinks that have no children,educated by momy and daddy and have never had to live in poverty living week to week, but expect parents to bring up their kids like they were brought up! Its time to get real. Respond to this comment
» left by lea from california (361 days 1 hour ago.)
Mr.joan i like that you wrote about our teens but what about the boy it looks like you are only giving the responsability to our girlds. Respond to this comment
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