College Media Network - Search the largest news resource for college students by college students

The Daily Utah Chronicle > Opinion

Casual sex can be damaging

By Andrew Cengiz

Print this article

Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Updated: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Andrew Cengiz

Andrew Cengiz

Casual sex is not unheard of on college campuses today.

Sexual promiscuity, under the wrong conditions, can pose a lot of problems, including STDs and unwanted pregnancies. One of the more overlooked problems is the regret and emotional damage many students experience after having casual sex.

“Women are more likely to experience regrets when it comes to (casual sex),” according to “Hookups and Sexual Regret Among College Women,” an article written in the Journal of Social Psychology in February 2008.

Women tend to conform to the sexual pressure of their social surroundings more than men.

When it comes to casual sex, females tend to feel the pressure of a “put out or get out” atmosphere.

In March 2008, the Journal of Interpersonal Violence printed a study by 12 college professors called “The Red Zone.” The red zone, according to the study, “refers to the first few weeks of the first semester at college, when female students are believed to be at greatest risk for experiencing unwanted sex.”

The U needs to start taking action to help reduce the risk of unwanted sexual experiences for female students.

First, the U administration needs to start making students aware of the sexual red zone. The U should have a campaign to make female students aware of the problem and inform them about the issue. The U can follow the example of Hartwick College in New York, which warns students of the red zone in student handbooks.

Female students need to be more aware of the risk. They need to learn what parties, people and organizations will put them in risky situations.

There is no discussion going on at the U about this problem. There needs to be one. Right now, we’re in the red zone, and the administration can’t afford to wait.

This culture of casual sex on campuses was started to “defy traditional standards,” according to an August 2008 Sex Roles magazine study. Maybe those traditional standards are right after all.

letters@chronicle.utah.edu

Comments

30 comments
« Previous
12
Your name
Wed Sep 17 2008 11:45
This article is like something from the Onion
Joey
Wed Sep 17 2008 10:28
The fact that this article begins with sexual promiscuity, mentions sexual violence (which is not the same thing), and then concludes with promiscuity again is detrimental to efforts to end sexual violence. In one short article, the author hits on two major problems with this situation. First, the conflation of promiscuity and sexual violence leads us to see women as some how at fault if someone assaults them because they were dressing for it or acting slutty. This is one of the most dangerous assumptions we can make in this situation. The second related problem is that there is NO mention of the necessity of programs to teach males that violence is not acceptable.
Pickles O'Halloran
Tue Sep 16 2008 21:41
Any kind of sex, between consenting adults, is a good thing. The writer looks like he has never been laid.
Zack
Tue Sep 16 2008 20:59
Hey Lydia

Anyone who believes casual sex is good is according to a former U professor, "already mentally disturbed."
You're beyond knowing what's good or not. Seek help.

Lydia
Tue Sep 16 2008 20:52
I'm a 23-year old woman and I think "promiscuous sex" is just awesome. In fact, I do it all the time and it's great for my mental health. As long as you're careful, having sex outside of marriage can be fun and rewarding. It sounds like the author is experiencing some major sexual frustration. Be careful, he could snap!
cOnFuSeD
Tue Sep 16 2008 18:01
Holy Cow...if a lady is dishin it out within the first few weeks of their first semester...don't think you can call her a lady!
Pete Malko
Tue Sep 16 2008 12:21
Welcome to journalism...the exact reason why I only did one semester of it. It's inherently dishonest.
Put out THEN get OUT
Tue Sep 16 2008 10:56
I always thought the red zone was a good thing? Kyle Whittingham does the red zone. Every sunday night he does it. I think it is on channel 4 though....not up at the U during freshman year. Why should the administration get involved with this issue, what would they say? "Hey girls watch out, men are trying to get into your panties"! Is there anything shocking about that? Is the first few weeks any different than what a girl is going to face her entire life? This isn't an admin issue, it is a character problem. If girls are stupid enough to hang out with sleeze bag guys at this point in their life, they deserve any regret they have over their moron choices.
Bob k
Tue Sep 16 2008 09:32
The student handbook? Seriously? Oh wow?! Did you see what red pages had to say about the Sexual Red zone?? (The sexual red zone is not to be confused with the KUTEradio.com studio next to the chronicle, which we at kute have lovingly come to call it. This is a much sexier red zone, and students are highly encouraged to stop by.) I'm not bashing your point, but seriously, if you don't have the self esteem to so no by college, you are not going to get it out of a handbook. And to be quite frank, its not an administrative issue or problem, its a parenting, and more important individual problem. We can balme social pressure till the cows come home, but don't give in to idiotic freshmen fever unless you have the gall for it. Remember kids, regret is a dish best served over breakfast.
Andrew Cengiz
Tue Sep 16 2008 03:31
I'm the author of this piece except for the part that says "Sexual promiscuity, under the wrong conditions, can pose a lot of problems". This implies that I think that there are right conditions in which sexual promiscuity won't pose any problems.
Originally I wrote "Sexual promiscuity can pose a lot of problems, including STDs and unwanted pregnancies."
I used the word CAN. That's enough. I didn't say ALWAYS, although I would have liked to because I believe it is always damaging.
I don't appreciate the editors adding their opinion to mine.
« Previous
12






log out