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青年人與完全節欲
在一些社會，青少年被成年人苦苦地告誡要完全實行節制性行為，因為完全節欲既能防止非意願懷孕也能預防性傳播疾病。這樣的苦求效果如何，倒在其次。畢竟，青春期之後，個體就一直要對付相當強大的生物欲望（即性欲——譯者注），欲求實現其性欲。所以，貫穿人類歷史的多數時候，青少年被認為已經適宜於結婚了；而且事實上，在許多文化傳統裏，他們也在十多歲的時候就入了洞房。時常，社會存在著雙重標準問題：人們認為女子節欲比男子更重要。此外，許多青年人知曉通過使用避孕套/安全套和採用其他“安全性行為”也能夠獲得必要的保護。儘管如此，如果青年人有堅定的宗教信仰，贊同完全節欲；或者如果他們的性興趣衰微或淡薄，他們可能能夠盡其所能抵禦所有的誘惑，取悅其家長、老師和牧師。可是，當今的經驗告訴人們，無論他們被灌輸了一些什麼，在許多國家和許多社群裏，多數的青少年在較早的年齡確實會發生性交行為。 |
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7個國家已婚與未婚15-19歲男女青少年已經發生性交的百分比
Percentage of 15-19-year-old males and females in seven countries who have ever had intercourse according to marital status
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如柱狀圖所示，在成年以前青少年發生性交的百分比較高。許多人未婚，未婚男孩尤甚。
As the graph shows, a high percentage of teenagers has had sexual intercourse before reaching adulthood. A great many of them are unmarried, especially the males.
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Source: Family Planning Perspectives, vol. 26, no. 1, March 2000, Singh, S.,
Wulf, D., Samara, R., Cuca, Y.P.: Gender Differences in the Timing of First Intercourse: Data from 14 Countries; Alan Guttmacher Institute
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Contraception |
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Methods
of Contraception: Contraceptive
Methods for Either Sex
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Young People and Total Abstinence
In some societies adolescents are entreated by their elders to practice total sexual abstinence, because it will protect them from both unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. How effective such entreaties are, is another question. After all, after puberty one is dealing with some powerful biological urges demanding expression. Therefore, throughout most of human history adolescents were considered ready for marriage, and in many cultures they were, in fact, married while still in their teens. Often, there is also a double standard at work: Abstinence is considered more important for females than for males. Moreover, many young people know that the necessary protection can also be obtained by the use of condoms and other “safe sex” practices. Still, if they have strong religious convictions in favor of total abstinence, or if their sexual interests are weak or unfocussed, they may be able to resist all temptations long enough to please their parents, teachers, and clergymen. Experience has shown, however, that today, no matter what they are told, a great number of adolescents in many countries and many social groups do engage in sexual intercourse at an ever earlier age. |
