In this powerful and necessary episode of Now Serving: A Side of Therapy, host Dalton Huckabe, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, sits down with Sharon Egan, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the caring profession, dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, adolescents, and families. Sharonās career spans child protection, foster care, youth homelessness, residential care, autism services, and rape crisis advocacy, bringing a deeply informed, compassionate perspective to one of the most challenging conversations facing families and professionals today.
This weekās discussion focuses on teenagers and sex, relationships, consent, peer pressure, and the legal ramifications that surround these topics. Sharon emphasizes the importance of open and honest communication with young people. When teens feel respected, included, and that their opinions matter, they are far more likely to come forward with questions, concerns, and experiences. The reality, as discussed in this episode, is that teenagers are going to explore sex ā and the goal is not silence or fear, but education, safety, and informed decision-making.
Sharon also breaks down what āsexā truly means, explaining that it is not limited to penetration. Any intimate sexual activity ā including touching, oral sex, or full intercourse ā falls within that definition. Educating young people on what consent looks like, how to say yes, how to say no, and understanding the steps leading up to sexual activity is critical to helping them protect themselves emotionally, physically, and legally.
A major portion of this episode focuses on mandated reporting and legal parameters, which can vary widely depending on location. In the United States, these laws are state-specific. Using California as an example, Sharon explains the ā21/16 rule,ā where sexual activity between someone 21 or older and someone 16 or younger is considered statutory rape. If a 12-year-old is having sex with a 14-year-old, this requires a mandated report. The intent behind mandated reporting is not punishment ā it is to protect the overall safety, wellness, and welfare of the child.
Sharon also shares how these laws work differently in Ireland, where the legal age of consent is 17. Anyone under 17 is legally unable to consent to sex. The episode explains the āRomeo and Julietā exception for 15- to 16-year-olds, where sexual activity may not require legal reporting if it is consensual, has no more than a two-year age gap, and does not involve coercion or an authority figure. However, two 14-year-olds engaging in sex is an automatic mandated report to TUSLA, Irelandās child protection agency. A 16-year-old with an 18-year-old is a mandated report to the Garda (Irish police). Sharon emphasizes that professionals must be transparent with young people about these boundaries from the start to maintain trust and safety.
The episode also tackles the growing intensity of peer pressure and sexualized culture. Over the past 30 years, Sharon has witnessed a dramatic shift: where teens were once pressured to avoid sex, many now feel intense pressure to engage in sex early and to have multiple partners. Teens who choose to wait may be ridiculed or labeled negatively. This pressure is coming from friends, social media, cultural expectations, and the constant sexualization found on platforms like Instagram. Young males face pressure to prove themselves sexually, while young females face pressure to comply to be accepted. Even more concerning, this pressure is now starting as young as 13 to 15 years old.
Sharon stresses the need to build resilience in young people, empowering them with language, self-trust, and boundaries so they can respond to pressure without doing something they are not emotionally or developmentally ready for.
š§ Part 1 is now streaming. Part 2 coming soon.
