Experts say young women of today are increasingly bombarded with new pressures to have sex early and sometimes, against their will, especially with the constant exposure of raunch and advanced consumerist culture of Western countries.

Anastasia Powel, sociologist based at La Trobe University said the sexualisation and pornification of society, through the use of sexualized imagery in media, music and other popular culture, is doing little to empower young women.

In her book, Sex, Power and Consent: Youth Culture and the Unwritten Rules, she explores the coping mechanism of Generation Y, through interviews of 117 teens and young adults.

She found young people are far better informed about sexual health issues, including contraception, and the rates of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are lower.

However, young women still risk being called a slut if they are too open about their sexuality and desires.

Ms Powel said, Some things have improved in terms of women's equality but we're still hanging on to a whole range of gender norms - ideas about men, women and sex that still place young women in situations when they experienced pressured or unwanted sex and sexual assault.

I wouldn't say it's any easier for young women today. We used to talk about the dichotomy between being considered a slut or frigid and that still absolutely applies, she said.

Sarah Calleja, Melbourne-based psychologist and sex therapist said the bombardment or sexual imagery and ideas through music videos and other media was sending messages to young girls that anal sex is common and oral sex is no longer even first base and also encouraging boys to be sexually aggressive.

Susan Mclean, cyber safety expert said sexting - the sending of naked images of young women through mobile phone - and other inappropriate sexual behavior, was common in Australian schools.