CatEyes
10-14-2008, 09:25 PM
My neighbor who is 21 got his 16 year old GF pregnant. I thought this was interesting to read.
Most teen pregnancies caused by adult men
http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=429083
By Hayley Graham
Study finds them in positions of power
Teenage mother Kortesha Jones's story is a familiar one. She's part of a growing national epidemic fueled by insufficient sex education, the sexualization of young women in the media and ignorance.
Two stories have brought this issue front and center in the public discourse: The recent high-profile teenage pregnancy of Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter, and her engagement to her teenage boyfriend, as well as the recent hit movie, "Juno," which portrayed teen pregnancy as humorous and whimsical.
But both images do not give an accurate picture of the problem or those involved.
Half of the time, a teen pregnancy does not even involve two teens close in age. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy estimates 52 percent of the fathers are three years or more older than the moms; and about two-thirds of the fathers are age 20 and over.
In Illinois, the largest group of fathers involved in fathering a child with a teenage mother were between the ages of 20 and 24 -- that age group accounted for 48 percent of teen births during 2006, the latest year available. Only 10 percent of the fathers were under age 18.
"There is reason for parents to be concerned with these types of relationships," said Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Abusive roles
The older the partner, the greater the risk for abuse.
One in five American teen girls has had sex with a sexual partner who is three or more years older, according to a report released in April by Child Trends, an independent research center that focuses on children and families.
Even if the relationship is consensual, there is a significant power difference that puts the man in a controlling role.
The risk of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease increases significantly with older partners because they are less likely to use condoms, the report said.
Kortesha started having sex with her then boyfriend last summer, but the two used condoms only occasionally. Her mother, Teresa Carroll, said she talked to her daughter about the effectiveness of condoms, but Kortesha said using protection did not always seem necessary and emotions often took over.
These relationships are still considered a form of sex abuse whether they are consensual or not, and many occur with a teenager who has had a history of previous abuse. (There is not indication that this is the case with Kortesha.)
Darkness to Light, an international non-profit that raises awareness of sex abuse, estimates 60 percent of teens' first pregnancies are preceded by molestation, rape or attempted rape.
"We ignore the fact that many of these young women are groomed into being sexually abused and are victims of a crime," said Pat Patrick, vice president of Darkness to Light. "These are still children being victimized."
A number of studies have indicated a strong correlation between the abuse and teen pregnancy, according to Patrick. When children are sexualized at a young age, and that barrier is broken, they become more promiscuous.
Criminal fatherhoods
Kankakee Detective Sgt. Jay Etzel said most cases like Kortesha's go unreported. The handful that are reported often do not get prosecuted.
"Sometimes families don't want to go through a trial," Etzel said.
Society, in general, turns a blind eye toward this behavior and does not consider the men involved sexual predators when involved with teenage girls. The societal perception often changes when older man prey upon younger boys.
Some experts say prosecution of the men in teenage pregnancy cases would serve as a prevention tool.
"We've got to get a message out to everyone that this does occur, that this does happen in our society and hold perpetrators accountable," said Patrick.
But not everyone agrees.
Cara Smith, deputy chief of staff at the Illinois Attorney General's office, said there is not enough evidence to suggest that. "I don't think you can make the correlation."
Most teen pregnancies caused by adult men
http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=429083
By Hayley Graham
Study finds them in positions of power
Teenage mother Kortesha Jones's story is a familiar one. She's part of a growing national epidemic fueled by insufficient sex education, the sexualization of young women in the media and ignorance.
Two stories have brought this issue front and center in the public discourse: The recent high-profile teenage pregnancy of Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter, and her engagement to her teenage boyfriend, as well as the recent hit movie, "Juno," which portrayed teen pregnancy as humorous and whimsical.
But both images do not give an accurate picture of the problem or those involved.
Half of the time, a teen pregnancy does not even involve two teens close in age. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy estimates 52 percent of the fathers are three years or more older than the moms; and about two-thirds of the fathers are age 20 and over.
In Illinois, the largest group of fathers involved in fathering a child with a teenage mother were between the ages of 20 and 24 -- that age group accounted for 48 percent of teen births during 2006, the latest year available. Only 10 percent of the fathers were under age 18.
"There is reason for parents to be concerned with these types of relationships," said Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Abusive roles
The older the partner, the greater the risk for abuse.
One in five American teen girls has had sex with a sexual partner who is three or more years older, according to a report released in April by Child Trends, an independent research center that focuses on children and families.
Even if the relationship is consensual, there is a significant power difference that puts the man in a controlling role.
The risk of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease increases significantly with older partners because they are less likely to use condoms, the report said.
Kortesha started having sex with her then boyfriend last summer, but the two used condoms only occasionally. Her mother, Teresa Carroll, said she talked to her daughter about the effectiveness of condoms, but Kortesha said using protection did not always seem necessary and emotions often took over.
These relationships are still considered a form of sex abuse whether they are consensual or not, and many occur with a teenager who has had a history of previous abuse. (There is not indication that this is the case with Kortesha.)
Darkness to Light, an international non-profit that raises awareness of sex abuse, estimates 60 percent of teens' first pregnancies are preceded by molestation, rape or attempted rape.
"We ignore the fact that many of these young women are groomed into being sexually abused and are victims of a crime," said Pat Patrick, vice president of Darkness to Light. "These are still children being victimized."
A number of studies have indicated a strong correlation between the abuse and teen pregnancy, according to Patrick. When children are sexualized at a young age, and that barrier is broken, they become more promiscuous.
Criminal fatherhoods
Kankakee Detective Sgt. Jay Etzel said most cases like Kortesha's go unreported. The handful that are reported often do not get prosecuted.
"Sometimes families don't want to go through a trial," Etzel said.
Society, in general, turns a blind eye toward this behavior and does not consider the men involved sexual predators when involved with teenage girls. The societal perception often changes when older man prey upon younger boys.
Some experts say prosecution of the men in teenage pregnancy cases would serve as a prevention tool.
"We've got to get a message out to everyone that this does occur, that this does happen in our society and hold perpetrators accountable," said Patrick.
But not everyone agrees.
Cara Smith, deputy chief of staff at the Illinois Attorney General's office, said there is not enough evidence to suggest that. "I don't think you can make the correlation."