Conundrum of adolescent sexuality in the digital era in contemporary India

Abstract

Adolescent sexuality is a stage of human developmentwhen adolescents experience, express and exploresexual feelings. This is influenced by hormonal,physiological, genetic, socio-cultural and psychosexualfactors. Rapid digitalization and emerging globalizationhave a huge impact on the changing dynamics ofadolescent sexuality. Teen dating violence, cybercrime,increased sexually transmitted infections, unwantedpregnancies and other medical and mental health issuesare just a few of the many negative consequences facedby a vulnerable adolescent. The possible solutions couldbe incorporating sex education into the schoolcurriculum, promoting safe-sex practices, awarenessabout nuances of cyber crimes, and so on. This articlereviews the possible correlates of adolescent sexuality,the impact of digitalization, potential consequences,and a way forward, especially in developing countries,like India.