Independent Study research conducted in Sweden during the Summer of 2014, comparing sexual attitudes between the American and Swedish cultures.

1. Differences in Adolescent
Sexuality between Sweden
and the United States.
Stephanie Muench
Study abroad with Santa Fe college.

2. Definitions
• Sexuality: the state of being sexual, having sexual activity,
being sexually active or expressing sexual interest. (Merriam-
Webster)
• Adolescence: the period in life from puberty to maturity
terminating at the age of majority. The process of growing up.
(Merriam-Webster)

3. Sexual education
United States
• No Sexual Education class
-with the exception of the one hour
long ‘how to put on a condom’ class
which is not given in every school in
America.
• No sexual education
whatsoever, except for the
widely known DON’T DO IT.
-Don’t have sex, because you will
get pregnant. And die. Don’t have
sex in the missionary position,
don’t have sex standing up, just
don’t do it, OK? Promise? OK, now
everybody take some rubbers.
(Coach Carr, Mean Girls)
Sweden
• Sexual Education class
during first year of High
School.
-some schools separate sexes into two
classrooms in order to gain comfort
with students, and others have them all
together so that information is learned
about both sexes.
• As the High school education is
continued, Sexual Education is
implemented in core courses
like Anatomy, Psychology…

4. Religious Influences
United States
• Catholics and Christians.
• Sex is only for the
procreation of another
human being.
• Sex before marriage as well
as a sexual encounter out
of wedlock is not
permitted.
• Birth control is as big of a
crime as murder, and is not
allowed for any religious
person to consume.
Sweden
• Evangelical Lutherans.
• All but 5 students in my study
considered themselves
religious and only two went to
church regularly.
• if less than half of Sweden's
populations consider
themselves religious, then
only less than half will follow
the churches rules.
• Sex out of wedlock is not
promoted or accepted by the
church.

5. Contraceptives
United States
• Men are supposed to buy and have
condoms on them.
• Contraceptives are only allowed to
be bought with a doctors
prescription, no matter your age.
• If you are under 18 years of age you
cannot go to the doctor without a
parent.
• If your parents don’t allow you to
have any sexual encounters, they
will not accompany you to the
doctor.
• Finally, you will end up in the same
situation that you started in, and
will engage in unprotected sex
because of lack of information, and
lack of support.
• It is impossible for a young woman
to get protection if their parents
are against the idea of sexual
interaction.
Sweden
• Women and men both buy and
carry condoms.
• Contraceptive counseling is free
at family planning centers.
• Condoms and oral contraception
are sold at a low cost over the
counter.
• Emergency contraception (the
next day pill) is also sold over the
counter, to a person of any age,
that needs it.
• There is no need to visit the
doctor to get a prescription for
birth control, and you don’t need
to be accompanied by an adult to
consult the doctor with any
questions.
‘The most effective way to prevent STDs is to abstain from sexual activity.’
(office of adolescent health)

8. Abortion
United States
• Abortion is illegal is some
states for everyone.
• However, where it is legal,
it is only allowed to people
18 years or older without
consent of an adult.
• If an abortion is needed
before the age of 18, the
young woman must be
accompanied by a parent,
approving of the abortion.
Sweden
• Abortion is free on
demand from the age of
15 years, and does not
need consent of an adult
or family member.
• Not very common, since
contraceptives are used
since first sexual
encounter.

9. STD’s and Pregnancies
United States
• Today, four in 10 sexually
active teen girls have had an
STD that can cause infertility
and even death. (office of
adolescent health)
• According to the CDC:
-40.9% did not use a condom the
last time they had sex.
-An estimated of 8,300 people
aged 13-24 (in the 40 states
reporting to CDC) had the HIV
infection in 2009.
-More than 400,000 teenage girls
ranging from 15 to 19 years old
gave birth in 2009.
Sweden
• Screening for genital
chlamydial infection is
provided at free clinics.
• Teenage pregnancy is
uncommon, but has risen in
the last couple of years due to
the abuse of alcohol among
other drugs
• Not many STD’s are present in
teenagers due to good sexual
education in their early years.
As well as consistent use of
condoms during sexual
intercourse.

10. Social acceptance
United States
• Peer pressure.
-from classmates, friends and siblings.
• Parental Oppression.
- ‘no sex until you get married’
- ‘Sexual intercourse will not take place
underneath my roof.’
• Social status.
- Increase popularity.
• Defines Sexual orientation
- ‘if you don’t want to have sex with her,
you must be gay.’
• Age of sexual consent is 18 years.
Sweden
• Parental acceptance and
support.
-Understanding their children, trusting the
knowledge they have learned about safe
sex and allowing them to consume the
relationship in a safe environment.
• Gender equality
-woman have equal opportunity to chose
whom they want to have a sexual
encounter with.
• No peer pressure in order to
gain social status.
• Age of sexual consent is 15
years .
‘Many adults are uncomfortable with the idea of teen sexuality, and prefer to remain
in ignorance or denial. But in the United States, 46% of all high school age students,
and 62% of high school seniors, have had sexual intercourse;
almost nine million teens have already had sex.’ (Advocates for youth)

11. Sexual encountersUnited States
• Forbidden by parents, which
becomes more desirable.
• Acording to the Guttmacher
institute, 16% had sex by age
of 15, and 61% by the age of
18.
• A woman that had many
sexual encounters will be
perceived as a ‘Slut’.
• Who, when, where, & why?
Are the most important factors
when having a sexual
encounter.
-with a boyfriend, or a stranger? In a house
or the back of the car? How old are both of
you? Does he LOVE you?
Sweden
• Do not worry about sex
defining their life. (who you
have sex with and when)
• They will engage in sexual
activity with someone
without worrying about
what people may think of
them.
• First sexual encounter
fluctuates in ages, but is
majorly from the age of 17
to 19 years old.

12. Relationships
United States
• Has to do with Social Status.
• Discuss less about what they
like and dislike during a sexual
encounter because of the
‘macho’ image of men always
being in control.
• What society knows as a good
relationship:
-Meet and exchange numbers,
start texting or what is called
‘Talking’, go on a couple of dates,
define the relationship, wait a
couple of weeks, and then have
intercourse.
Sweden
• Relationships are liberal
• Have more communication
about likes and dislikes during
intercourse.
• What society knows as a good
relationship:
1- Old friends that decide they
want to try out ‘dating’(define
the relationship), then go on
dates, and finally have
intercourse.
2- One night stand that has
mutual interest to keep seeing
each other, define the
relationship, then go on dates.

13. Equality
United States
• Men will stare up and down a
woman's body, they will shout
and whistle at her trying to call
her attention.
• Men go out to clubs and
parties specifically looking for
a girl to take home.
• Woman must wait for man to
make a move, if woman makes
first move she is considered
‘easy’ or ‘slutty’
• Women judge other women
by how they look and what
they do in order form those
girls to look bad in the eyes of
men.
Sweden
• Men do not go out on the
street as if he were hunting for
a prey. Desperately looking for
a woman.
• Men do look at girls but in the
span of one second their eyes
shift to another direction, and
not disrespect her with
unnecessary whistles or grunts
pointing out her beauty.
• Woman can make the first
move as much as men if they
have interest in one another.
• Women do not judge girls by
how they look, but by what
they do.

14. Idealbodyforwomen:
UnitedStates
- Specific body types define BEAUTY or PERFECION, all others are simply not good
enough.
- Thanks to this belief, more than half of the woman's populations in the United States
are not satisfied with the way that they look, and wish they could change one or more
things of their image.
- However, it is clear in this image that this ‘ideal woman’ does not exist.

15. Idealbodyfor
women:
Sweden
 Short
 Tall
 Skinny
 Big breasts and hips
 Small complexions
-Beauty is all around. Women
wear whatever they please, don’t
worry about stepping in the scale
every morning and enjoy life more
than any other girl wondering if
she will ever have that ‘perfect
body’.
- Girls from every shape and size
in sweden have relatinships with
men, and are not worried about
what size jeans they wear.

16. Homosexuality

17. Thoughts on homosexuality
Malesbetweenageof(18-22)
United States
• ‘If you don’t like her you must be
gay.’
• ‘I don’t want to be hit on by
someone that is gay, EW.’
• ‘I’m fine with gays, unless they try
to have sex with me.’
• ‘Two men kissing is an insult to
the human race’
• ‘They can be around me just not
kissing other guys, get a room’
-Do you think they feel bad being
judged by everyone they encounter?
• ‘Of course their going to be
judged, they knew it before
coming out of the closet, its their
own fault!’
Sweden
• ‘If I get hit on by someone that is
gay I believe I’m being flattered’
• ‘Oh look, a homosexual couple
kissing.’
• ‘I don’t think its weird, its just the
way he is’
• ‘I believe for him, it is just as
weird to see me kissing girls’
-Do you think they feel bad being
judged by everyone they encounter?
• ‘Yes, they must feel bad that is
why I don’t judge people based
on what they are attracted to.
People will judge you for the
mistakes you make, but they
shouldn’t judge you for who you
are’

18. Sexual abuse
United States
• Every person knows at least
one person that has been
sexually abused.
-By a friend, in a relationship, by a
complete stranger or even a family
member.
• Every 2 minutes, another
American is sexually assaulted
• There is an average of 237,868
victims (age 12 or older) of
sexual assault each year
• 44% of victims are under age
18, and 80% are under age 30
Sweden
• Nobody in my study was ever in
contact with anyone that had been
sexually abused
• In 2012 Sweden appears to have the
highest sexual abuse rate in Europe.
• This increase can be due to the use of
internet, as well as the use of alcohol.
• Naomi Wolf states that the problem is
partially due to the detail in police reports
”(…)when a woman comes to the police and
she says my husband or my fiance raped me
almost every day during the last year, the
police have to record each of these events,
which might be more than 300 events. In
many other countries it would just be one
record - one victim, one type of crime, one
record.” (Naomi Wolf, BBC)
• The wider definition of Sexual assault
world wide.

19. Development of sexual
behavior
United States
• Modeled by our peers.
• Not a lot of information on how to
protect yourself or what to do.
• Teens do not have anyone to talk to
about sexual experience except for
their peers which more likely than not,
will not be well informed.
• Since sexual interaction is not accepted
at an early age, young teens must
experiment before knowing how it
really works.
• First experience is more likely to not be
enjoyed in the woman's perspective.
• Will not take precautions necessary,
creating a bad environment and
sometimes fear from women to engage
in sexual relations again.
Sweden
• Informed decision after
receiving education about
sexual interaction, and having
open discussions about this
with parents and other older
figures.
• Not being ashamed to talk
about sex openly in order to
learn everything that is needed
to make the experience
pleasurable.
• Most woman, enjoy the first
time they have intercourse
because they are well informed
and have good communication
with their couple of choice.

20. Conclusion
• Sweden is more open sexually than the United States because
of the religious, political and Educational factors to its
advantage.
• Thanks to the laws in Sweden that allow young teenage
women to get ahold of contraceptives there is a low
pregnancy and Sexual transmitted disease risk in the
population. Whereas in the United States, lack of education,
and laws that do not allow women under the age of 18 to take
contraceptives without the supervision of an adult, there is a
higher risk of teen pregnancies and Sexual transmitted
diseases.

21. Sources:
• https://www.rainn.org/statistics
• http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19592372
• http://www.naspcenter.org/adol_sexuality.html
• http://www.searchquotes.com/search/Mean_Girls_Coach_Carr/
• http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adolescence
• http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexuality
• http://kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/sexual-health-of-
adolescents-and-young-adults-in-the-united-states/
• http://sti.bmj.com/content/78/5/352.full
• http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-
z/413-adolescent-sexual-behavior-i-demographics
• http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-ATSRH.html
• http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/Sexualbehaviors/index.htm
• http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-
topics/reproductive-health/stds.html