Over a third of young people in Britain have felt pressured into having sex

A new poll commissioned by youth charity The Mix, has found that a concerning number of young people (35%) say they have felt pressured into having sex with someone. Almost two thirds (65%), also said they were not confident when asking for sex with people they are not in a relationship with.

Run by YouGov online, the research surveyed 500 16-24 year-olds and has been released to coincide with the conclusion of a nine-month storyline on Hollyoaks that has followed several characters affected by rape. The Mix has worked closely with Hollyoaks for the past year to build the storyline and accurately reflect the experiences of young people affected by sexual assault and rape.

As a response to these worrying trends, The Mix – a digital support service for 25s and under – has been working to change the negative perception around talking about sexual consent and make it a positive part of all sexual experiences. The Mix ran the campaign “Let’s Talk Consent” to improve young people’s communication skills in the bedroom (as well as all the other places that young people are having sex). Over two thirds (67%) of the young people polled think sex is, or would be, better with good communicators.

For the past year, The Mix has released innovative digital solutions (such as a chat bot, a Facebook live Q&As; and new videos) to help young people practice better and safer sex through the promotion of healthy relationships, good communication and positive sexual experiences.