EARLY SEX AND ITS EFFECT ON THE GIRL CHILD

Early sex is simply having sex before adulthood. This is associated with ages at which
adolescents feel mature, want to behave like adults.

Sexual relations may occur between adolescents before they are fully capable of recognizing
their consequences as autonomous and responsible acts guided by a system of moral convictions.

CAUSES OF EARLY SEX

1. Peer pressure
Many young people feel great pressure from other teenagers to become sexually active. In fact
this is the number one reason that teens have sex. Teens do not want to be different or be
rejected by their friends. Teens with low self-esteem are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure.

2. Pressure from a partner

The inability to say “NO” is the number two reason that teens get involved in sexual activity. It
is difficult to say “NO” especially to someone we care about. Practicing refusal skills can enable
teens to have the self-confidence to effectively say “NO”.

3. Sexual attraction
We are sexual beings so it's natural that we are sexually attracted to others. Without sex, the
human race would become extinct! Hormone pressure in teens is very real and can produce
intense sexual desires. However, these urges are controllable. Human beings have the power to
choose whether or not to have sex.

4. Social and media pressure

We are constantly bombarded with sexual messages in the movies, TV shows, magazine ads, and
billboards. The producers of these messages are taking advantage of our responsiveness to sexual
stimuli to make a profit. Of course, they often fail to include information about any of the
consequences of sex such as disease or pregnancy.

5. Desire to be seen by others as "normal"

Teens mistakenly think that “everyone is doing it”.

6. Parental behavior/example
Just as there are some parents who have a problem with abuse of alcohol or drugs, some parents
abuse sex. It's natural for young people to be influenced by their parents' example.

7. Wrong kind of sex education

Sex education programs that merely give the facts about sex in a “value neutral” way and imply
that the only issue to be concerned about is whether or not you are using a condom have been
shown to be very ineffective in helping teens make responsible decisions.

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8. Boredom
Many teenagers site being "bored" and "have nothing better to do” as the reasons for their
sexually involvement.

9. Alcohol and Drugs

The use of alcohol and drugs increase your drive for pleasure and increase you willingness to
take risks by decreasing your inhibitions and impairing good judgment.

10. The desire to be loved

Guys use love to get sex and girls use sex to get love. Girls often give in to the lines and sexual
advances of guys believing that they will receive love in return.

EFFECTS ON GIRL CHILD

Early pregnancy
Girls who engage in early sex may find themselves becoming parents while still underage. This
may see them suffer from iron deficiency anaemia because the baby’s needs will be competing
with those of the mother who herself needs it for growth. Also, teenage mums are unlikely to
seek prenatal care, placing both the mother’s and baby’s health at risk. Research shows babies
born by teenage mothers are at a higher risk of illness and death in the first months of life.

Increased risk of death

The risks of dying due to pregnant-related death for a teenager between the age of 13 to 19 years
is double compared to that of an adult aged 20 to 24 years. There is also the risk of abnormal
pregnancy, which is associated with a number of complications, that tends to occur at extremes
of the reproductive age, that is, below 20 years and above 40 years. Adolescents are also at a
higher risk of seeking illegal and unsafe abortion.

Sexually transmitted infections

This cuts across as it doesn’t respect age or gender. Teenagers are vulnerable to sexually
transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. The situation is dire for adolescent girls engaging in
sex with older men as they are usually unable to negotiate for safer sex.

Psychological and emotional consequences

A lot of people who indulge in sex outside marriage have been known to suffer from both
psychological and emotional problems. Such people are often plagued with feelings of guilt and
sometimes worthlessness. Some may end up making not well-thought decisions like marrying
prematurely and for the wrong reasons. Others may end up with serial partners hence exposing
themselves to diseases.

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Lasting negative effects
Early sexual exploration can have long lasting negative effects especially if one was caught in
the act or pressured into it (rape or incest). This may lead to sexual dysfunction later in life and
may also make the person unable to positively express themselves sexually as adults.

School dropout/poor performance in class

Needless to say, an adolescent girl who gets pregnant will have to drop out of school for a year
or so to tend to the baby. Although the government has a policy allowing teen mums back to
class, there are places this is not effected. Either way, one’s education would have been grossly
affected and those who return to school find it hard to concentrate, not to mention the
stigmatisation from fellow students and society at large.

May lead to delinquency

Teens who start having sex significantly earlier than their peers also show higher rates of
delinquency in later years.

SOME PRACTICAL WAYS TO BATTLE YOUR SEXUAL TEMPTATIONS

1. Avoid Tempting Situations

Winning early means staying away from traps. The last thing you want to do is find yourself
alone with the object of your unhealthy desires, whether it is images or actual people. If contact
with that person is a must, then make sure it is always in a public space and others are around.
Set boundaries surrounding your phone, the computer, and TV. Find a partner who is willing to
help you with accountability.

2. Consider the Consequences

While pondering the object of your desire, also ponder the consequences of action. Is it going to
end well? How would your family feel? Think about where your actions can lead and then
imagine your parents/guardian finding out. Do you want to deal with the fallout? Always think of
the end game. Where do you want to be? Are your thoughts and actions leading you there?

3. Avoid Pornography

Besides the obvious reasons that avoiding pornography will help guard against lust, there are
psychological reasons as well. Porn creates unrealistic expectations and desensitizes our minds
towards our spouses. They can’t possibly live up to what is viewed, and would we even want
them to? This pushes the focus of your sexual desires outside of the home and can only lead to
paths of destruction.

4. Use Social Media with Caution

There are many benefits of social media, but there are just as many pitfalls. We are reunited with
people from our past and introduced to those who are new. Old sparks can be renewed or new

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ones can be lit. For a married man, this can be extremely perilous. Always remain alert to true
intentions when using social media.

5. Question Your Intent

Most times, when our minds wander sexually, we aren’t really seeking pure sex. We are seeking
to replace something missing in our lives. It could also be that we are trying to distract ourselves
from dealing with something difficult. For each girl, these things will be specific to his
experiences. Figure out the root issue and work to correct it.

6. Participate in recreational activities

“When our minds and hearts are occupied in the right place, sexual lust has little room to
operate. ”

7. Consistent Prayer

Prayer is the act of communicating your thoughts, worries, hopes and dreams to God. Lift up the
desires you are feeling and ask for help. God made you and knows you and can deliver you time
and time again.

8. Choose Your Friends Wisely

When battling sexual temptation, there are plenty of people we can find that will encourage and
enable it. You can still be their friend, but by all means, avoid joining them in their poor
relational choices.

9. Keep High Standards

To be a gentleman is a choice. A very good choice, and this world today needs many more.
Despite the vast amount of temptations that life throws our way, we should hold ourselves to the
highest of moral standards. Self-discipline in all areas of our life leads to positive results.

10. Redirect Your Passion

Rather than being controlled by untamed lust, direct that passion in positive directions. Use that
energy to brainstorm about ways you can bless your wife. Perhaps focus on things that will make
the world better like volunteering at a homeless shelter. Coach a youth sports team. Mentor
troubled individuals.

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WAYS IN WHICH PARENTS (AS WELL AS TEACHERS, FRIENDS, AND FAMILY
MEMBERS) CAN HELP GIRLS DEVELOP WITHOUT EARLY SEX.

 Teach girls to value themselves for qualities other than how they look.
 Teach boys to value girls as friends, sisters, and girlfriends, not sexual objects.
 Repeatedly remind children that it’s wrong to judge people by their appearance.
 Pay attention to what children are looking at, listening to, and buying. If you don’t like
something, don’t just forbid it, but discuss your reasoning.
 Discuss with children why there is so much pressure on girls to look a certain way and to
act "sexy."
 If your daughter wants to wear something you consider too mature or too sexy, have
another discussion. Point out that skimpy clothing is high maintenance (requires lots of
checking/ adjusting), and can detract from her focus at school, with friends, and during
other activities.
 Support campaigns, companies, and products that promote positive images of girls;
conversely, do not support manufacturers, advertisers, television and movie producers,
and retail stores that promote highly sexualized images of girls and women.
 Encourage children to participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities that
emphasize talents, skills, and abilities over appearance.
 Discuss healthy sexuality and relationships with your kids, including media, peer, and
cultural influences on sexual behaviors and decisions, as well as how to make safe
choices. Find out what your child’s sex education curriculum includes.