Sexuality
2003-2005
Topics
Survey of same sex attracted young Australians, 2005
Sexual experience compared, 2004
Teenagers and pornography, 2003
Survey of same sex attracted young Australians, 2005
In 2005, the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University released the results of its second national report on the sexuality, health and wellbeing of same sex attracted young people in Australia, Writing themselves in again: 6 years on, the follow-up to a similar study conducted in 1998. The report documented the results of a 2004 survey of 1,749 self-selected same sex attracted young people (aged between 14 and 21) from all Australian states and territories.
Some findings from the report:
Percentage of respondents who said that they were:
… attracted to their own sex only: 66% (46% in 1998)
… attracted to both sexes: 29% (46% in 1998)
… unsure about their attraction: 5% (7% in 1998)
Percentage of respondents who identified as:
… gay/lesbian/homosexual: 61% (45% in 1998)
… bisexual: 19% (35% in 1998)
… heterosexual: 1% (9% in 1998)
… other: 2% (9% in 1998)
Percentage of male respondents who reported having sex: 79%
… with males only: 61%
… with both sexes: 16%
… with females only: 3%
Percentage of female respondents who reported having sex: 72%
… with females only: 30%
… with both sexes: 30%
… with males only: 12%
Feelings about sexuality:
- 76% of respondents reported feeling 'great' or 'pretty good' about their sexuality (60% in 1998).
- 19% of respondents reported feeling 'okay' (30% in 1998).
- 5% of respondents reported feeling 'pretty bad' or 'really bad' (10% in 1998).
Discrimination:
- 39% of respondents reported being treated unfairly because of their sexuality (29% in 1998).
Disclosure:
- 95% of respondents had disclosed their same sex attraction to at least one other person (82% in 1998).
Source: Hillier, L., Turner, A. & Mitchell, A., 2005, Writing themselves in again: 6 years on, the second national report on the sexuality, health and well-being of same sex attracted young people in Australia, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne.
Sexual experience compared, 2004
Percentage of Year 10 students who have had vaginal intercourse: 25%
… of Year 12 students: just over 50%
Percentage of men born in the 1940s who had had sex before the age of 16: about 15%
… of men born in the 1980s: 30%
Percentage of women born in the 1940s who had had sex before the age of 16: 5%
… of women born in the early 1980s: 25%
Percentage of young people today who have had experience of intercourse or oral sex before the age of 13: 3–5%
Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 19/08/04, p.4, quoting figures from the Third National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, published by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University and the Australian Study of Health and Relationships [viewed 18/01/2007].
Teenagers and pornography, 2003
Percentage of 16-17-year-olds who've had exposure to Internet pornography:
... boys, 84%
... girls, 60%
Percentage of 16- to 17-year-olds who have deliberately looked for sex sites:
... boys, 38%
... girls, 2%
Just under a quarter of boys and 7% of girls 'accidentally' encounter sex sites every week.
Percentage of 16- to 17-year-olds who have watched X-rated videos:
... boys, 73%
... girls, 11 %
About 4-5% of boys identify as frequent (weekly) users of pornography.
Source: Michael Carr-Gregg, commenting in the Australian, 29/12/03, p.11, on a report by Michael Flood and Clive Hamilton, Youth and pornography in Australia: Evidence on the extent of exposure and likely effects, The Australia Institute, Canberra, 2003.