The Dangers of Teen Petting

New research demonstrates the increasing rate of teenage hooking up, or petting, is on the rise. Nearly two-thirds of teens report engaging in at least one hookup and 40% had sexual intercourse during at least one hook-up; heavy petting and oral sex have also increased among middle school kids.

Although petting has its benefits, it also carries serious repercussions, including pregnancy or infection with sexually transmitted diseases like Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Chlamydia, HIV Hepatitis C Herpes B Trichomoniasis or Pubic Lice. Furthermore, petting signals increasing sexual maturity which could lead to premarital acts.

Though this process is natural for adolescents, it’s essential that they understand the risks involved when petting when exploring intimacy between partners. The best way to safeguard teens against these outcomes is to educate them about their partner’s sexual history, get tested for STD’s before engaging in any sexual activity and never share sex toys (like vibrators or dildos) without washing first; never have multiple partners at once for sexual encounters and never engage in multiple simultaneous sexual acts.

Counselors working with adolescents can assist them in understanding how their pets can provide a source of comfort or support in their lives. Numerous studies have discovered the psychological advantages associated with pet ownership, such as increased autonomy, self-esteem and social competence; Black (2012) found rural adolescents who owned pets reported lower loneliness levels than those without.