Recent evidence indicates that adolescent sexual interaction involving multiple simultaneous partners is an emerging public health concern (Rothman et al., 2011). Multi — multi-person sex (MPS) person sex (MPS), which may be either consensual or forced, increases health risks Adolescent sexual interaction involving
of participants, who often engage in unsafe, condomless sex and who may be injection multiple simultaneous partners that
may be either consensual or forced.
drug users. (See Chapter 15 for a discussion of risks associated with injection drug use and having sexual intercourse without the protection of condoms.)
National surveys that ask questions about adolescent sexual behavior do not collect data about MPS, which appears to be an emerging phenomenon. One recent anonymous survey of 328 females, ages 14-20, reported that over 7% of the participants had experienced MPS and that almost half of these incidents were accomplished by threats or force (Rothman et al., 2011). In this study MPS was found to be associated with several variables including sexual experience prior to age 15, having an STI, dating violence victimization, child sexual abuse victimization, and recent exposure to pornography.
About a quarter of the participants in this survey reported that a current or former boyfriend was involved in the MPS encounter.
Clearly more research needs to be directed toward this risky and/or exploitive form of adolescent sexual behavior in an effort to better understand multi-person sex among teens.
Sexuality During Childhood and adolescence