Is there good data on adolescent sexual behavior?
Unfortunately, there is a limited amount of scientific data on adolescent sexual behavior. Research designed to examine this subject is often controversial as adults seem to falsely fear that asking young people about sex is tantamount to giving them ideas and encouragement. While we have some information about sexual intercourse and contraceptive use among teens, we know very little about other behaviors such as masturbation, oral sex, and anal intercourse. In addition, much of the current research is limited to heterosexual behaviors.
