Comparing online and offline sexual behavior in a national sample of youth: Findings from the Growing up with Media survey

Ybarra, Michele. (2010, April).  Comparing online and offline sexual behavior in a national sample of youth: Findings from the Growing up with Media survey. Presented at the NASPAG Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Summary:

This presentation analyzes data from three waves of data of the Growing up with Media study collected in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Specific research questions addressed include:

1) How are online and offline unwanted sexual experiences related to each other?

2) What is the likelihood of ever having had sexual intercourse based upon online and offline unwanted sexual experiences?

Findings include:

- The frequency of young people reporting victimization experiences online is similar to that of offline experiences; the same is true for perpetration

- The Internet is just but one environment youth are interacting in. Professionals working with youth are encouraged to view the Internet as one of many influential environments in which young people must navigate daily for positive youth development.

- Sexual intercourse may be related to unwanted sexual experiences – particularly for youth who are victims both online and offline.

- Data provide sufficient evidence for further inquiry into a potential offline / online interplay of unwanted sexual experiences for some young people.

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