NewsLetter

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

   

UNSUBSCRIBE

Birth to 2 years:

  1. learn love and trust through parents and caregivers
  2. explore their bodies
  3. experience erections and vaginal lubrication
  4. learn expected behaviour
  5. notice difference between sexes
Age 3-5 years:
  1. curious about bodies and gender differences
  2. body experimentation through play
  3. interest in body parts and functions
  4. may mimic adult sexual behaviour
  5. may begin to masturbate
Age 6-8 years:
  1. establish friendships with same sex children
  2. basic sexual orientation and identity emerges
  3. experience peer pressure
  4. sex play and masturbation
  5. at risk for incest
Age 9-12 years:
  1. may start puberty
  2. become modest and want privacy
  3. continue same sex friendships
  4. increased feelings and fantasies
  5. develop crushes on friends, older teens
  6. romantic feelings for same or opposite sex
  7. sexual exploration with peers
  8. masturbation to orgasm
  9. experimentation with sex, smoking, drugs, alcohol
  10. at risk for incest, molestation, paedophilia
Age 13-18 years:
  1. complete the changes of puberty
  2. value independence
  3. increased sexual feelings
  4. desire physical closeness and romantic relationships
  5. peer pressure to be sexually active
  6. at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections [STIs]
  7. at risk for sexual violence, harassment, abuse
  8. experimentation with sex, smoking, drugs, alcohol

next

THE SPONSORS

Copyright Reserved © 2005. Southern African Sexual Health Association.