Adolescence is an important time in sexual development. It includes physical changes of puberty as well as changes in emotions and cognitive abilities. During this time, most youth develop romantic and sexual attractions, begin to understand their sexuality, and some enter their first romantic relationships. Some young people will also have sexual relationships. Legally the age of consent for sexual activity in Canada is 16 years old. There are close in age exemptions for youth aged 12 to 15 such that a 12- or 13-year-old can consent to have sex with someone less than two years older, and a 14- or 15-year-old can consent to have sex with someone less than five years older. In addition, a person under the age of 18 cannot legally consent to sex with someone in a position of authority (e.g., teacher, coach, babysitter, family member, employer). Despite the law, there are a variety of opinions about what age and under what circumstances it is appropriate for young people to become sexually active, and also what constitutes sexual health for youth spanning the age range from 12 to 19. There are a number of issues that can be examined with regards to youth sexual health. The BC Adolescent Health Survey asked youth about specific behaviours and experiences related to sexual health such as condom and contraceptive use. Youth were also asked about potential risk behaviours such as having sex at an early age, mixing sex with alcohol or other substances, and having multiple sexual partners.
