First experience of sexual intercourse

Sexual relations are much more than penetration. They’re also about developing intimacy between two people and exploring a range of sexual behaviour.

Everyone experiences many “first times”: the first kiss, the first caresses through clothes or under them, the first time you got undressed in front of someone, the first time the breasts or the genital organs were touched, the first oral-genital intercourse, the first vaginal penetration, etc. These first times may be experienced with a single partner or over time with different partners.

When to have sexual intercourse for the first time

Deciding to have sexual intercourse is a personal choice. The important thing is for it to happen at the time you want it to happen, and that you feel ready for it. Sexual intercourse is experienced by two people. Each partner should therefore be ready for it. If they aren’t ready at the same time, it’s important for each partner to respect the other’s timing and to go about things step by step.

For half of teenagers, the first intercourse with penetration takes place around the age of 15-16. Many teenagers have their first intercourse at around 18, 19 or 20.

Age of consent

In Canada, the legal age of consent is 16.

• If you are less than 12 years old, it’s not legal to have sexual intercourse.
• If you’re 12 or 13 years old: you can have intercourse with a partner of the same age as you or one who is at most two years older than you. If your partner is older than you, he should not be in a position of authority (for example, a youth camp leader).
• If you’re 14 or 15 years old: you can have intercourse with a partner who is two years younger than you. You can also have intercourse with a partner who is at most five years older than you. If your partner is older than you, he should not be in a position of authority (for example, a youth camp leader).
• If you are between 16 and 19 years old: you can have intercourse with someone who is 14 or older.
• If you are 20 or older: you can have intercourse with someone who is 16 or older.

For successful sexual intercourse

Having sexual intercourse is an important stage in life and it’s normal for you to be preoccupied about it. Here are 3 steps that will help you make sure everything goes well.

1. You don’t have to want to plan everything in advance but talking about sexuality with your boyfriend or girlfriend has a lot of advantages: getting to know each other better, sharing your fears and apprehensions, sharing your desires and expectations, etc. These exchanges are sometimes embarrassing but they avoid a lot of misunderstandings and disappointment.
2. Using a condom is an easy, affordable and accessible way to take full advantage of sexual intercourse. A condom allows you to act in full confidence, without fear that this relation will lead to an unwanted pregnancy or even a sexually transmissible infection.
3. To avoid an unwanted pregnancy, you should also think of a method of contraception that can function as a complement to a condom.

For more information, you can also visit the Internet site Tel-jeunes .