Raunchy songs spur teen sex

The study included 1 461 youngsters, aged 12 to 17, who were first interviewed in 2001 and again in 2002 and 2004. Most of the participants were virgins at the time of the initial interview.

Those who listened to a lot of music with degrading sexual messages - depicting men as "sex-driven studs" and women as sex objects - and explicit references to sex acts were more likely (51 percent) to start having sexual intercourse or other sexual activities within two years than teens who listened to little or no sexually charged music (29 percent), the Associated Press reported.

Study leader author and Rand Corp. researcher Steven Martino said heavy exposure to sexually degrading music gives teens "a specific message about sex." Boys learn they should relentlessly pursue women, and girls learn they're sex objects, he said.

"We think that really lowers kids' inhibitions and makes them less thoughtful," about sexual decisions and may lead them to make choices they regret, Martino noted. – (HealthDayNews)

August 2006