Pressuring is Using
By Erika, age 14, Florida
Peer pressure - it happens to everyone. There's no getting around it. One of the biggest pressures put on teens is by sexually active teens, trying to pressure the innocent to give up their innocence.
A few months back my friend was put under this kind of pressure by one of her male friends, whom she'd had a relationship with in the past. They had never really made it official, but they were "dating".
One day they went to a party together and they both were in the party spirit. Neither of them had been drinking, but they were acting like they had. They went upstairs just to talk a little bit and he tried to take it to the next level. She denied him and she told him she wasn't ready for that. He never spoke to her again, which shows he was with her just for sex. I know she made the right decision, because the guy she is with now heard about the situation and said he doesn't know how he would look at her if she would have given in.
By waiting she found a better person, someone who appreciates her. Many guys are the same way. So before you give up your innocence, or if you already have, the next time you're in this situation, think. How will he treat me afterward? Will he still love me? Am I being used? This did not keep my friend from getting hurt, but it showed her that it could have been worse.
Remember, if they're pressuring you, they're probably using you.