ABC:

Study Reports Anal Sex on Rise Among Teens: Lack of Sex Education, Virginity Pledges, Ignorance Contribute to Risky Behavior

Carry—a Colorado college student who had been in a steady relationship for months—was recently cajoled by her boyfriend into some sexual experimentation.

He wanted to try anal sex, and even though the 20-year-old said she was "OK with the idea," she nervously downed several drinks before their lovemaking began.

Within 15 seconds, Carry — not her real name — said she was "crying and asking him to stop."

Recently, researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center in Rhode Island suggested that anal sex is on the rise among teens and young adults.... Experts say girls and young women like Carry are often persuaded to try [anal sex] for the wrong reasons—to please a partner, to have sex without the risk of pregnancy or to preserve their virginity. But many don't understand the health consequences.

Maybe if we had comprehensive sex education—which would cover anal and oral intercourse, and their risks and rewards—teenagers would better understand the health consequences of anal sex. As things stand now, though, even "good" sex education—good by American standards—ignores or glosses over anal intercourse.

Another note on ABC's story: it starts with the usual innocent-girl-pressured-into-anal-by-demanding-boyfriend horror story. But if you read it all the way to the end you'll learn that a lot of women are interested in anal intercourse for their own pleasure, not just for their partner's pleasure. Which makes the women-in-peril image ABC uses to illustrated the story...

...seem just a touch sensationalistic.