Statistics released today about American teens’ sexual behavior belie the popular portrayal of American youth as permissive and careless. New data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that the majority of teens have remained abstinent. Though the proportion of teens who are sexually experienced has remained relatively unchanged since 2002, the CDC report does note that the percentage represents a significant decline since 1988. And it’s important to note that the proportion of youths who are abstinent has risen by 17 percent among teenage girls and by 47 …
Despite the prevalence of TV shows detailing the tawdry lifestyles and nonchalant hook-up scene of the supposedly typical American teenager, more young people are choosing to remain abstinent. According to a recent report from the National Survey of Family Growth, more than a quarter of young men and women between 15 and 24 years old report never having had sexual contact. Likewise, as shown in new charts on FamilyFacts.org, more than half of all U.S. high school students report remaining abstinent, an 18 percent increase since the 1990s. The increase …
Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the winners of $110 million worth of grant money for sex education programs for adolescents. The money will go to fund five-year cooperative agreements as part of the Obama Administration’s new Teen Pregnancy Prevention program. However, while HHS stated that they “were hoping for and hopefully got a healthy mix” of programs, according to The Washington Post, “Abstinence proponents … identified just five ‘authentic’ abstinence programs receiving less than $5 million.” In total, 115 programs in 38 states received grants. …
There is some good news about the rate of teenage parenthood in America. It’s on the decline again. According to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday, between 2007 and 2008, teen birth rates decreased by 2.4 percent. From a long-term perspective, the drop is even more dramatic. Between 1991 and 2008, the teen birth rate fell by nearly one-third. In only two years during this period, from 2005 to 2007, were there slight upticks in the number. The other main findings of the report …
Spring has sprung in Washington, DC, and while many buses line the streets packed with students touring the National Monuments, another group of students came to Washington this week for a different purpose: To tell policymakers about the impact that abstinence education has had in their lives. This year’s annual Abstinence Day on the Hill was of particular significance because of recent studies that suggest abstinence education could delay sexual activity in teenagers. In a study evaluating the effectiveness of abstinence-based programs, researchers found that from a total of 22 …
For the first time in more than a decade, the rate of pregnancies among 18- and 19-year-olds is on the rise. Unwed mothers and children born outside of marriage are more likely to be poor, increasing likelihood of dependence on government welfare. If we seek limited government, we need solutions to reduce the trend of unwed pregnancy. As far as school instruction and programs for teens are concerned, the good news is that a recent report shows programs that teach abstinence exclusively (without “safe sex” caveats) are effective in delaying …
Abstinence education is back in the headlines, prompted by a new study that shows such intervention can reduce teen sexual activity in the long term. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, appeared in this month’s issue of the medical journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association. It found that, two years after receiving an eight-hour abstinence-only intervention, middle school participants were a third less likely to initiate sexual activity, compared to peers who attended a non-sex-ed health class instead. …
Yesterday, a new study was released showing that abstinence education programs were effective in reducing teen sexual activity while conventional safe sex programs had no positive effects. Ironically, this finding comes at a time when President Obama and the Pelosi/Reid Congress have abolished all federal funding for abstinence and created a new funding stream to promote so-called “comprehensive” sex education. In order to understand this issue, it is important to dispel common myths about abstinence education and sex ed in general. Myth: Abstinence Programs Don’t Work. The newly released study …
According to the Associated Press, in order to combat “one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe,” the British government is about to mandate sex education for all students, “including kindergarten-age children.” The AP reports: The government hasn’t detailed what the new curriculum will look like, but schools will be asked to provide lessons on relationships and contraception, topics not previously required. Lessons will become more sophisticated as kids get older. Elementary schools can offer lessons in naming body parts, preparing for puberty and relationship feelings, [Schools Minister Jim …
Why does the left keep insisting that the only people qualified to talk to teenagers about sex is the government? Attacking Sarah Palin in today’s Washington Post Amy Schalet writes: American teenagers grow up in environments that inhibit them from making conscious choices about sex and using contraception effectively. Sarah Palin supports programs that contribute to that environment, favoring policies that prohibit teachers from explaining the benefits of contraception and condoms and that require teaching that sex outside of marriage is unacceptable. Schalet seems to believe that the only way …
