Youth are staying sexually pure longer, according to a study from the National Center for Health Statistics. Research indicates that 27 percent of boys and men ages 15-24 and 29 percent of females in the same age bracket never have had a sexual encounter—up from the 22 percent of both sexes who reported no sexual contact in 2002. Among boys and girls ages 15-17, more than half say they’ve never had sexual contact, compared to less than half in 2002. “As to why, there are certainly multiple factors at work,” said Debbie Roffman, a human sexuality educator in Baltimore. “While greater caution due to fear of physical consequences is likely one, more positive factors are likely to be at play, as well. For instance, more young people may be choosing to wait for a more quality sexual experience, knowing it is more likely to come with maturity and/or greater involvement by parents in communicating about sexual values and decision-making and providing greater supervision and monitoring of their children’s activities.” (USA Today)