To discover why (from the students’ viewpoint) adolescents often ignore the dangers of premarital sex.

 OVERVIEW

LEADER PREPARATION

• Design a survey about adolescent sexual activity. Ask whether it has changed as a result of possible emotional damage, AIDS, or other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Administer the survey by interviewing 25-50 local teenagers. (As an option, conduct some or all of the interviews on videotape.)
• Compile the results of the survey (If you used a video, edit together pertinent clips).
• Prepare discussion questions.

GROUP BUILDING

Play one or two rounds of "The Dating Game" or some other fun activity.

GROUP PRESENTATION

Share the results of your survey, showing striking interview comments from your video (if you taped interviews).

GROUP DISCUSSION

Ask any of the following questions. Modify as necessary:

• Why do you think some people continue to practice unprotected premarital sex?
• Share some of the things about which you tell yourself "that will never happen to me," but that deep down you know could or will happen.
• Why do you tend to ignore the psychological or emotional dangers of sex?
• If a friend of yours was dating someone that was pressuring them to have sex because "they need to show their true love," what would your advice to your friend be?
• What can be done to better communicate the very real dangers associated with adolescent sex?

WRAP-UP

As appropriate, discuss the goodness of sex. Also confirm that men and women are sexual creatures. Note that prohibition of sex outside of a lifetime commitment between husband and wife is not to deprive us, but to protect us and allow us to know the very best of sexual enjoyment.

EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP

The issues of love, relationships, sex, need to be covered in-depth with kids through study groups. It may be more effective to make this discussion only one in a series of talks on sex and relationships. You may want to do a follow-up survey with kids attending your group to ascertain the discussion’s impact on them (if any) and to get their feedback on the discussion(s).

IMPLICATIONS

• Adolescents need to have the opportunity to share their views on sexual issues in a safe, accepting environment, so that they can solidify their internal value systems.
• For youth workers, this discussion can be used as an effective teaching tool to convey the seriousness and dangers of premarital sex. It may also serve as a learning tool, to increase one’s understanding of teen’s attitudes, beliefs, and behavior.
• The issue of teen sexuality must be addressed with love in order to positively influence adolescents.

Scott Lundy cCYS