Shanghai teenagers' changing attitudes to sex
Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences recently published a survey of 1,958 local teenagers about their attitudes to sex. Here are some of their findings.
Have you ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend?
More than one-third of high school students said they have had a girlfriend or boyfriend, while the percentage for junior high school students and college students were 9.9% and 53.9% respectively.
Where do you find information about sex?
When teenagers have questions about sex, 23 percent will try to find answers online, 14.2 percent will turn to their school materials and 12.4 percent will ask their friends.
What is your attitude to sex before marriage?
More than half of the boys questioned think a couple can have sex as long as they are in love with each other and 38.9% females agree. The attitudes shown here are remarkably different from those of twenty years ago.
Have you ever been kissed? Have you ever had sex?
Just under 60 percent of college students claimed never to have been kissed. Of junior high school students, very few (less then 10 percent) have had any intimate contact at all.
Teenagers nowadays are more open to physical intimacy comparing with 1999.
What degree of physical intimacy would you allow during a date?
Rather remarkably, only a quarter of those questioned would kiss on a date.
How do you feel about sex?
Nearly 60 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that sex is beautiful, but more than half also said it is embarrassing. Close to 10 percent found the whole idea disgusting.
How big a responsibility is having sex?
More than 60 percent agreed or strongly agreed that sex is a big responsibility, but fewer than 6 percent did not feel much sense of responsibility at all.
