Sex Lives of Australian Teenagers

Joan Sauers is a successful script editor and author who embarked on a research project after spending lots of time trying to edit scripts and/or write dialogue from the perspective of teenagers heavily engaged in exploring their sexual identity and relationships.

She discovered little work had been done in the area of attitudes, knowledge and experience of teenagers.

She had teenagers and a small crew of helpers handout fliers about an online survey and has published the results through random house....

Read about the book here at http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9781741665123

I look forward to a read beyond the brief sumary I've heard as it reinforces my views about the prevalence of: experimentation; the view that intercourse = sex; the high percentage of girls who feel pressured into activity they are uncomfortable with; and the general impression that way too much is being gleaned from porn and not enough from serious, simple, honest conversation with older role models, professionals and people that young people trust.

For many years I have blanched at camps and events where the rules simply include a reference to boys and girls staying out of each others rooms and/or simplistic messages about "just don't do it" or people taking offence when a safe sex guide advocates any thing beyond that... they are not theological documents [or are they?] and need an ounce of reality in the advice offered...

I expect this research could be a powerful tool if we honestly engaged in dialogue around the issues...