A Baseline for Sex Education

In New Zealand it is estimated that non-Maori girls now reach puberty, on average, at 12 years 6 months and Maori girls at 12.0. In Australia the age is between 12.4 and 13.0. That means that most girls could bear children in their first year at high school, and many whilst still at primary. Boys on average mature sexually about 9 months later, but both sexes reach puberty considerably younger than was the case 40 years ago. There is evidence that this is accompanied by earlier sexual activity
in the young. At the same time the age of marriage has been delayed, and so the gap between full sexual capacity and the expression of it in marriage has increased, imposing serious stress on the young.