Cases of teen sex are on the rise and some experts blame it on the Internet.

This is highly plausible, as teenagers can have easy access to pornography in the comfort of their homes.

Parents should install software to monitor their children's surfing activities.

Here are other reasons contributing to the rise:

Teen sex is fashionable

Kids are pushed by peer pressure to participate in sex, which is fraught with physical and emotional danger.

Since teen sex is the "in thing", as portrayed by some magazines and movies, young boys and girls feel that it is the norm for them to have sex.

Sexual curiosity is high, particularly among boys who are exposed to pornography on the Internet.

Teens who have many sexual partners at an early age may undermine their ability to develop and sustain loving and committed relationships as adults.

Distorted information on sex

Young boys and girls learn about sex from unreliable sources on the Internet, which promote licentious sex and pornography.

Not enough emphasis on commitment in sexuality education

Sexuality-education programmes do not place enough emphasis on sexual responsibility, intimacy, commitment, love and marriage.

While they warn teenagers about the dangers of unprotected sex, they do not say enough about the harm caused by having sex at a tender age.

Poor role models

Kids follow their parents' example with regard to morals and values. If parents show a lack of morals, they should expect their children to follow their example.

Children are exposed to a wide range of influences and it is their parents' duty to guide them on issues such as intimacy, love, sex and commitment.

Parents should inculcate moral values in their kids, which would help in their understanding of sex.

Abstinence before marriage and faithfulness in marriage are the only guarantees of safe sex.