Local youth have requested a resource page devoted to information about dating and sex, which you will find here. Knowing that adolescence is a time of great questions and concerns, the following links have been compiled to answer questions and provide an understanding about intimate topics. Check back often, as new material is added to this page.

Please remember, in the State of Oregon, a minor cannot give legal consent for sexual relations until age 18.

For teens:

It’s normal to have questions, and this page in no way encourages or discourages you in sexual matters. Our community’s health will be better when the incidents of teenage pregnancy and youth contracting sexually-transmitted diseases is reduced. A web page never replaces a candid conversation with a trusted adult, but the information here may help guide appropriate behaviors.

•  Iwannaknow is designed to help you learn about your sexual health in order to make good decisions, since you will be a sexual being for a long time. Whether you're 18 or 80, you are going to have a desire to fulfill your sexual needs. Taking precautions now will not only help you live long, you will have a healthier sex life to show for it.
•  The purpose of TeenSource.org, an online resource developed by the California Family Health Council, is to improve the health and well being of young people in CA by providing non-judgmental, accurate, and reliable sexual and reproductive health information and resources. 
•  Sex+ is a frank video series about sexuality with Laci Green. She is a sex education activist. New episodes are posted every other week.
•  Loveisrespect is a project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and Break the Cycle. By combining our resources and capacity, we are reaching more people, building more healthy relationships and saving more lives.

For parents:

No one is more concerned about your child’s life than you. Here are some resources that might make difficult conversations easier.

• Teenology 101 knows that if you’re raising a teenager you know that, unfortunately, they don’t come with a handy user’s manual. While every adolescent is different and unique, they certainly share some common traits. By sharing what we’ve learned from working with teens — here at Seattle Children’s department of adolescent medicine as well as out in the community — we hope to  assist families in navigating through their “teenage years”.
• Teen Dating: A Mom's Guide is a WebMD Feature from "Good Housekeeping" Magazine. It provides information about trends associated with teen sex, such as “hooking up” after school, before their parents are home from work and the casual nature of relationships.
• Iwannaknow is designed to help you learn about your sexual health in order to make good decisions, since you will be a sexual being for a long time. Whether you're 18 or 80, you are going to have a desire to fulfill your sexual needs. Taking precautions now will not only help you live long, you will have a healthier sex life to show for it.

For professionals:

• The Oregon Health Authority has a page addressing many topics about youth sexual health. Adolescence is a time of tremendous opportunity and change. Becoming a sexually healthy adult is one of the most important developmental tasks of adolescence. Healthy sexuality is to be respected, and requires a sense of responsibility to be emotionally and physically prepared and protected.