Two-thirds of Dutch parents allow their 15-to-17-year-old children to sleep with their partners in their homes, according to a 2003 survey cited by the Salon post.
But rather than resulting in crazed teen orgies and high rates of teen pregnancy, abortion or transmission of STDs, the Dutch have far lower rates of these problems than the U.S. For example, the teen pregnancy rate in the Netherlands is just 12 pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19. In the staid U.S., there are 72 pregnancies per 1,000 girls the same age. The Dutch teen abortion rate is 20% lower than that in the U.S. And the rate of HIV infection in America is three times higher than in The Netherlands.
"—
What the U.S. Can Learn from the Dutch About Teen Sex – TIME Healthland (via justlikegmpavalentine)
This seems particularly radical here in the “oh don’t talk about sex” American South. I remember being surprised (and, yes, fearful of a sudden reprisal) one time in the fall after I graduated college when I stayed over, in the same bed, with the gal (college senior) I was dating at the time. Taking away both the stigma and (particularly in the case of teenagers) secrecy of sex I think would carry the added bonus of making “meeting the parents” far less scary (most of the time.)
I support many aspects of Dutch life. The Netherlands gave off such a relaxing vibe while I was there. They know what they are doing!
(Source: sociolab, via shorterexcerpts)
