Canadian Teens "Woefully Ignorant" About Sex

A new study by the Canadian Association for Adolescent Health has found that contrary to popular perception, teenagers as well as their parents are ignorant about important sex information.

The survey also found that 38 percent of Canadian teenagers have indulged in casual sex and a half-million sexually active teens aged 14 to 17 have at least three partners. 90 percent of teens claimed to have some knowledge about sex, but their behaviour indicated otherwise. Only 23 percent teen believe that sex education in schools is useful. Further it was found that 23 percent teens and 30 percent mothers considered masturbation as sex. 38 percent teens had not discussed sex with their parents, while 26 percent believed that it was OK to have oral sex. “I think we were all surprised at really how little many kids knew about sexually transmitted infections,” said Dr. Miriam Kaufman, a pediatrician at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and a spokeswoman for the association. For more information abut the survey visit, www.youngandhealthy.ca.