Differences in sex education are just one part of this equation, though. It’s also important to highlight that in Dutch culture, sex is viewed as a normal and natural component of adolescent development and maturation, parents and healthcare providers speak candidly with teens about sex, and teens have ready access to free or low-cost contraception. In light of this, it is perhaps not surprising that Dutch teens have much higher rates of condom and contraceptive use compared to their American peers [2].

What all of this tells us is that if we want to enhance teens’ sexual health in the US, we’ve got our work cut out for us. There are no simple or easy solutions. Yes, we desperately need to change our approach to school-based sex education, but that’s not enough. We also need to change the way the country thinks about teenage sex. This means moving away from the view that teen sex is always a problem and failure of character and toward the view that it can potentially be a part of normal and healthy development. It also means changing the climate of shame that stifles open dialogue about sex and promoting positive sexual communication skills for parents and teens alike.

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[1] Sedgh, G., Finer, L. B., Bankole, A., Eilers, M. A., & Singh, S. (2015). Adolescent pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates across countries: Levels and recent trends. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(2), 223-230.

[2]Alford, S., & Hauser, D. (2011). Adolescent sexual health in Europe and the US.

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