Four in 10 (42%) say they have not because of religious or moral beliefs. While just more than half say it is because they haven’t met the right person yet (54%), few say it is because of a lack of opportunity (21%). Many say they abstain because they fear the potential consequences-pregnancy (74%), STDs (71%), parents’ reaction (65%).
As many (75%) have not because they believe they are too young. Seventy-four percent say they have not had sex because they made a conscious decision not to. Most (73%) have not been sexually intimate at all. The vast majority (87%) of teens aged 13 to 16, have not had sexual intercourse. Most 13 to 16-year-olds waiting to have sex SUMMARY TABLE: Sexual activity among 13 to 16 year-olds Sexual activity is much more common among 15 to 16 year-olds (41%) than 13 to 14 year-olds (14%). Nearly 3 in 10 (27%) thirteen to sixteen year-olds are sexually active and “have been with someone in an intimate or sexual way.” Most of these sexually active teens have touched someone else’s genitals and almost half had oral sex and/or had sexual intercourse.