Adolescent boys likely to coerce girls into having sex

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SEXUAL health nurses should educate adolescent boys to to prevent them pressurising their partners into having sex, according to a study.

Findings were based on ten focus groups consisting of five boys and five girls aged between 14 and 16.

Boy in the groups discussed using drink or even raping girls to gain sexual conquests.

Participants were asked to comment on four sexual relationship 'case studies' and discussions ere recorded and transcribed.

Researchers then analysed the transcriptions and identified themes in the different responses of boys and girls.

Girls were more likely to demonstrate empathy, which allowed them to think about how boys were thinking in scenarios.

Boys were less likely to be able to think about how the female partner was thinking in certain scenarios.

They were also more likely to discuss coercing girls or getting girls drunk in order to make them have sex, with boys in two focus groups mentioning raping girls who refused consent.

Authors wrote: 'Any educational work with young male adolescents needs to incorporate the addressing of sexual attitudes and the persuasive practices that some males may follow.

'There also needs to be clear discussion about the issues of consent and the withdrawal of consent within sexual encounters.

Journal of Clinical Nursing (2008) 17: 2963-2971

They added: 'Nurses working in sexual health should ensure that they, or their services, are equipped to give advice on alcohol as well as sex as the two are inextricably linked.'