10 Reasons to Say No to Having Sex

Important Reminders:

A guy who cares about you will be willing to wait. He'll have more respect for girls who stick up for their beliefs.

Sex can be an awkward, intimate act. Baring yourself literally and emotionally can be difficult. "Sex begins with communication. If a couple cannot talk openly and take responsibility, they will not have a good experience with sex and that experience will set the tone in their relationships for the rest of their lives. It's so much easier to give in to the pressure than to wait until you're ready," Dr. Bruggeman says.

Assert yourself from the beginning. Know where you stand, and then stand up for your beliefs. Sex that occurs as a result of pressure from someone else almost always has negative consequences. Giving in to someone else's wishes won't make someone like you more. You'll end up feeling bad about compromising on a decision that should be yours and yours alone. Don't compromise your feelings and principles. Before you consider having sex, consider your options. You are in control of your body, your life, and your future. If you say the word no and your partner doesn't respect your opinion, try these words instead: Good-bye!

Sex and Regrets:
"Looking back, I wonder if our relationship would still be going strong if we hadn't gone through with it. Things seemed to change. It felt like we couldn't go back to the way things had been before." - Ben

"It wasn't worth it! I'd wait. A number of girls at my school have dropped out because of getting pregnant. I'm constantly reminded that there are so many reasons not to have sex." - Lisa

"I'd wait. I wish it had been more meaningful, but I was stupid and in a hurry." - Allen

"I was too young. All my friends were having sex and I was curious more than anything. I gave in to peer pressure." - Alice

"Personally, I believe you're having sex too soon if there isn't a wedding ring on your finger." - Jeremy "I was confused, we didn't talk afterward except to say goodnight. Then he didn't call me for three days. I thought I had done something wrong. We didn't interact the same way after it happened. That was two years ago. I haven't had sex since." - Alice

"Afterward, he bragged to all his friends. I asked him to stop talking about us and the next day the rumor around school was that I looked good naked. I hated going to school each day because I thought I'd hear new rumors about me. I felt like a slut. I felt used and guilty." - Rose

"I felt terrible about myself, like I was trash. It seemed like he lost interest in me. Like I was a conquest or something. It definitely influenced how I felt about myself and I kept pretty much to myself." - Lisa

"I couldn't believe how changed we were, like two different people—total strangers. It's pretty ironic. Here's this event that is supposed to cause two people to feel closer to one another and it totally drove us apart." - Jeremy

"I felt like a dog. I had gone to a party with one of my friends. We each picked up on girls we met there. We had no respect for those girls at all. I was really ashamed of myself." - Allen