Ask Bish - Your Sex and Relationships Questions Answered

Ask Bish Stats on Teen Relationships

The average age of first time sex is …

Have you got any statistics for teenage relationships? (And I mean non health related ones) Because most of my social circle has either had sex of at least kissed someone. Me none. I’m not desperate or concerned but would like to know if I’m a minority..?Hi there

It’s a very interesting question, so thanks for asking it. A recent literature review of first time heterosexual intercourse http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224490903509399 suggests that the average age for first time intercourse is around 16. Most young people (between 60 and 75%) first have ‘sex’ when they are over 16.

This review points out that most studies are pre-occupied with heterosexual experiences and also often ignore first time sexual experiences if they aren’t to do with penetrative sex. EG we don’t know the average age when someone first gets off with someone or dry humps on their parent’s sofa.

Young people usually have sex with someone they are in a relationship with when then first do ‘it’ and the reason they do it is because they feel close and intimate with their partner and they are also excited and curious about how it will feel (much like how most people feel about sex actually).

There are socio-economic, cultural, educational, physiological and psychological factors which are associated with age of first time sex.

You should also know that often young people aren’t entirely truthful when they tell their friends about their early sexual experiences.

I hope this answers your question!

Justin (Bish)