In this digital age, it seems easier than ever: finding a sex partner via dating sites. Nevertheless, research shows that young people are having sex at an increasingly later age. Youth expert Kelly van der Waas from the KiKiD foundation provides sex education to young people in the classroom at the Zaanlandslyceum in Zaandam.
Youth expert Kelly van der Waals at the Zaanlandslyceum – NH News
From research into sex under the age of 25 STD AIDS Netherlands and Rutgers shows that the age of young people having sex for the first time has shifted from 17 years in 2012 to 18.7 years today.
Less social
According to Van der Waas, the reason for this shift is that young people have become less social. “In previous years I had the idea that young people talk more easily about these types of topics. I certainly think this is due to the use of social media, but I also think that the corona pandemic played a role in this.”
Young people in the center of Zaandam also recognize this. A young woman tells NH that she recognizes this and has difficulty coming out of her shell.
“I notice that just talking about sex is something super uncomfortable”
At a secondary school in Zaandam, the KikiD foundation tries to have this conversation through realistic theater scenarios. In class they talk about love, dating and sexting.
Because of online contact, Van der Waas thinks that young people have less need to talk to peers: “We are so used to expressing ourselves online and that it is quite exciting to express ourselves in real life about vulnerable topics.”
Older and wiser
However, Van der Waals does not think the age shift is immediately negative. “I notice that just talking about sex is very uncomfortable. On some level I think it could also be fun and light-hearted. On the other hand, I think it is also something positive, because when young people are older they know better what they do and do not want .”
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