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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Today\u2019s highly sexualized world can often blur the line about what\u2019s considered \u201Cnormal\u201D sexual behavior in adolescents. Unlimited access to online pornography, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/the-dangers-of-teen-sexting-2611305&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;sexting&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, and sexualized media campaigns are just a few of the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ways-the-digital-age-has-changed-teenage-sexuality-2611303&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;ways the digital world has changed teenage sexuality&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;While most teens mature physically, emotionally and sexually at the same rate, some teens don\u2019t. A teen who experiences intense sexual desires, yet hasn\u2019t yet mastered impulse control, for example may exhibit some inappropriate sexualized behavior.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Of course there are many other risk factors that can lead to acts of sexual aggression, including &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/risk-factors-for-sibling-sexual-abuse-2610457&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;inappropriate sexual contact with a sibling&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. A teen who was victimized during childhood is more likely to perpetrate on another child. Teens who aren&amp;amp;#39;t given appropriate sex education may also be more likely to violate others&amp;amp;#39; boundaries.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Types of Sexualized Behavior&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There\u2019s a wide range of problematic sexual behaviors. The low end of the range starts with sexual harassment. A teen who tells inappropriate jokes after being told to stop, or one who makes unwelcome crude comments exhibits sexual harassment.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The most serious offenses include sexual assault. Behaviors on this end of the spectrum may lead to legal consequences. Teens who commit rape, for example, may face long-term involvement with juvenile justice system in terms of incarceration, probation, and court-ordered treatment.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;When to Seek Help&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sometimes younger children \u201Cplay doctor\u201D or say things like, \u201CShow me yours and I\u2019ll show you mine.\u201D When young children do those things, it often stems from their lack of knowledge about what\u2019s appropriate and what isn\u2019t. Older children and teens know the difference.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;While risky sexual behavior - like unprotected sex - can be very trouble, as long as both partners are able to give consent and are close in the same age, the sexual contact is considered normal. Problematic sexualized behavior occurs when the sexual contact is inappropriate.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If your teen exhibits sexually inappropriate behavior, take the issue seriously. Any time your teen\u2019s behavior violates a moral, social, or legal rule, the behavior should be addressed by a professional.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Although there are instances where teens have sexually assaulted strangers, these types of incidents are fairly rare. Teenagers are more likely to exhibit inappropriate sexual behavior toward a teen or child they already know. Sometimes, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/facts-about-sibling-sexual-abuse-2610456&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;sexual abuse among siblings&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; occurs without parental knowledge.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Here are three things to consider to help you determine if your teen\u2019s behavior signals a serious problem:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Age difference between the children.&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; The bigger the age difference, the more likely a teen\u2019s behavior should be considered problematic. While 4 year olds might engage in some exploratory behavior, a 14-year-old and a 4-year-old engaging in sexualized behavior is very serious violation. The bigger the age difference between the children, the more serious the offense.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Sexual behavior involves aggression.&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; A teen who forces another child to do something he doesn\u2019t want to do, the behavior should be taken very seriously. Holding another child down or coercing another child is a serious offense.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Exploitive or manipulative behavior. &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;A teen should never make threats or bribe another child in an attempt to coerce them into sexual behavior.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Seek Help When Necessary&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If your not sure if your teen\u2019s behavior is a cause for concern, it\u2019s best to err on the side of caution. It\u2019s better to seek help and find out you don\u2019t have anything to worry about, rather than regret not seeking treatment when it was necessary.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Discuss your concerns with your teen\u2019s doctor or &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/when-to-seek-mental-health-treatment-for-a-teen-2611251&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;contact a mental health professional&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Several factors will determine the type of treatment your teen may need \u2013 such as the risk factors that may have influenced your teen\u2019s behavior and the risk your teen may pose to other children. A doctor or a mental health professional can provide referrals for an appropriate evaluation.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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