The Hook-Up Culture

Dr. Joe Malone holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance with a specialization in sexual wellness and is a professor at Middle Tennessee State University. He recently wrote an article about the hook-up culture and the many ways it harms young people, especially young women.

First of all, in a study of college students, women's depressive symptoms are found to increase as their number of sexual partners increases. Research also found that women hook-up even when they feel uncomfortable doing so and are much more likely to feel guilty after a hook-up than men. In a study of female college freshmen, it was found that 64% of hook-ups involved alcohol. This is why it's no surprise that around 80% of sexual assaults occur during a hook-up. All these harms and the increasing prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases are especially hurtful to young women.

Dr. Malone proposes we recognize hook-up culture for the deeply harmful issue that it is. To read his full article, click here.