A statewide survey of age at first intercourse for adolescent females and age of their male partners: Relation to other risk behaviors and statutory rape implications

In a statewide survey of a representative sample of adolescent girls in 8th -12th grades (N = 4201), information was obtained on age at first intercour se and age of their male partners. Excluding intercourse experiences where physical force was threatened or used, 31% had intercourse by age 15 and 45 % by age 16. Contrary to the impression left by studies of teenage mothers, girls who first had sex between age 13 and age 15 or between age 16 and ag e 18 did not have a large percentage of much older partners (5 or more year s older; 12 and 7%, respectively). The percentage of much older partners wa s higher, however, for girls who had sex in very early adolescence, ages 11 -12 (34%). Much older male partners were associated with greater problem be haviors for girls who first had intercourse in very early adolescence (11-1 2), but less so for those who first hand intercourse between age 13 and age 15 (truancy only) and not at all for those who first hand intercourse at b etween 16 and 18. Regardless of partner's age disparity, earlier age at fir st intercourse during adolescence was associated with a greater number of o ther problem behaviors. The implications of these findings for recent calls to enforce statutory rape laws more stringently to reduce teenage pregnanc y were discussed.