This seems like a case of correlating two symptoms, rather than cause and effect, but a new study has shown a significant increase in the divorce rate for women who have lost their virginity before the age of sixteen.
Published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, the study too into account the responses of 3,793 women and found that thirty one percent of those who lost their virginity as teens divorced within five years of marriage, and forty seven percent divorced within ten years. On the other hand, the divorce rate for women who had waited to have sex was only fifteen percent at the five year mark, and twenty seven percent at ten.
Sex of any kind, completely wanted or not, before the age of sixteen or seventeen seems to affect divorce potential later in life. But, not surprisingly, if the first time a woman had sex was unwanted, or the woman had mixed feelings about the act, the chance that she would divorce was even higher. Since forty two percent of participants who had their first sexual experience before the age of eighteen told researchers that the encounter wasn’t completely wanted, it’s not so surprising that sex in the teenage years is an indicator, or perhaps a cause, of ongoing emotional instability.
The study’s author, Anthony Paik, said in a press release that one explanation for his findings, “If the sex was not completely wanted or occurred in a traumatic context, it’s easy to imagine how that could have a negative impact on how women might feel about relationships, or on relationship skills. The experience could point people on a path toward less stable relationships.”
Common sense might suggest that other factors in a girls life that might push her into situations where she’s having sex before she’s ready also contribute to a lifetime of unstable relationship choices. But this study does give parents another tool to talk to their daughter about making safe choices.
Do you believe that losing your virginity at a young age may affect the chances of getting divorced later in life?
