Research shows:
• 93% of males and 62% of females aged 13 to 16 have seen pornography online.
• By age 15, 70% of boys and girls will be sexually experienced and by age 18, 88% will be.
• Almost every Australian school has had reports of sexting, which is a form of child pornography and can result in individuals being listed on the sex offenders register.
It is little wonder that parents feel ill-equipped to teach teens in an age so different from the one of their own adolescence.
A renowned media and public speaking personality, Dr Weerakoon recently delivered the 2012 Smith Lecture (Eros, Intimacy and the Mind of God), and participated in the Defining Marriage ACL webcast. She regularly holds seminars at schools, churches and conferences sharing her passion for sexual health.
Teen Sex By the Book is frank and, in parts, explicit. It gives the reader a unique and at times uncomfortable insight into the teen world, exploring a number of 'taboo' topics, such as the effects of porn on the brain, sexting, cybersex and homosexuality. It also addresses questions like How far is too far? Is God against sex? and Is lust an uncontrollable force?, considering them from a cultural, theological and physiological point of view.
Ultimately, this book calls teens to live God's countercultural lifestyleâ€"one that leads to healthy, pleasurable sex and intimate, satisfying relationships that last a lifetime.
Teen Sex By the Book is written with teens (aged 15 to 19), parents and those ministering to this demographic in mind.
'So, you're a parent of a teenager? You have to read this book because this will give you a glimpse into your teenager's life that you probably wouldn't otherwise see. It's not like the 80s folks: things have changed rather a lot and it's frightening! But our teens desperately need us to be able to talk to them about sex, and my guess is that we're having 1980 conversations in 2012. That's just not going to work,' said Steve Wakeford, the Assistant Minister of Menai Anglican Church and Chairman of KYCK.
'As a mother of three teenagers of both genders, I will be buying three copies of this book to give to them. One reason is that it's clear and honest and, even if I wished places were fleshed out more, the fact that it is not too long may help it actually be read. As a mother, it's also nice to have a 'back up' from outside sources, and Patricia definitely does this. In fact, if you are a parent who quakes a little discussing pornography, oral sex and so on, Patricia does some of this heavy lifting for you, which cuts you a bit of slack,' said Dr Amelia Haines a qualified Sex Therapist in Sydney.
The book comes with an M15+ rating, and is available from www.fervr.net/teen-sex-by-the-book.