Talk Isn't Cheap — Study: Abstinence Classes Don't Stop Sex
Posted: Monday, April 23, 2007
by Avis Ward
GeoVi's Home for Pregnant Teens
The federal government spends approximately $176 million annually on abstinence programs. A $7.7 million study conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. of Princeton, New Jersey for the United States Administration for Children and Families reported their findings last week.
Mathematica’s final report titled, Impacts of Four Title V, Section 510 Abstinence Education Programs examined education programs on adolescent sexual activity and related knowledge and behaviour outcomes. “The impact findings show no overall impact on teen sexual activity, no differences in rates of unprotected sex, and some impacts on knowledge of STDs and perceived effectiveness of condoms and birth control pills."
Look at these teen facts:
Teen Sexual Activity and Its Consequences
1. In 2005, women 15 to 19 years of age had 831,000 pregnancies, most out of wedlock.
2. In 2005, 14.3 percent of high school students and 21.4 percent of twelfth grade students had had sex with four or more persons.
3. In 2005, 37.2 percent of sexually active high school students and 44.6 percent of sexually active twelfth grade students did not use a condom during their last sexual intercourse.
4. Of the approximately 19 million new STD infections in the U.S. in 2000, nearly half were among persons 15 to 24 years of age.
5. STDs have been linked to infertility, miscarriages, cervical cancer, increased HIV risk, and numerous other health problems. Their cost is estimate at several billion dollars annually.
What is Title V, Section 510 Funding?
Beginning in 1998, the Title V, Section 510 funding provided $50 million of annual federal support for “abstinence education that teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage is the expected standard for school-age children."
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) originally administrated program funds. The Title V, Section 510 funding is currently distributed to states by the Administration of Children and Families (ACF) in the form of grants.
Definition of Abstinence Education
Upon receipt of federal funding, states have discretion over which programs to fund and at what level. However, all funded programs were required to be consistent with the “A-H" definition of abstinence education prescribed in the Social Security Act.
A. Have as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity
B. Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children
C. Teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems
D. Teach that a mutually faithful, monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of sexual activity
E. Teach that sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects
F. Teach that bearing children out of wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents, and society
G. Teach young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increases vulnerability to sexual advances
H. Teach the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity
This is what the children were taught at four “impact sites" located in Powhatan, Virginia; Miami, Florida; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Clarksdale, Mississippi. After reading the report, I am disturbed and perturbed. The terminology is to be questioned. Using archaic terms such as “wedlock" in the new millennium is disturbing. Although the A-H definitions of Abstinence Education sound impressive on paper, they sound clinical and not very pragmatic. The youth of today are quite frankly, more hip and straightforward than they were given credit by these federal guidelines. No wonder the study failed!
Nowhere have I read in the initial, interim or final studies these young people were taught anything about their self-worth and respecting their bodies. It’s no secret when a person has a strong sense of self; their actions are governed by a more discerning and less promiscuous behaviour. A person has to believe there is a reward for them if they were to abide by rules, regulations and guidelines. Young people are no different.
Title V, Section 510 abstinence education did not succeed in reaching its main objective. The impact results from the four selected programs show no impacts on rates of sexual abstinence. The careful evaluation of the abstinence-only programs conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. shows that youth enrolled in the abstinence-only programs were no more likely than those not in the programs to delay sexual initiation, have few sexual partners, or abstain from sex entirely. It is important to note that there is a profound difference between abstinence as a message and abstinence-only interventions.
Did we fail our young people or did we simply determine what would not work?
Copyright © —Avis Ward of AWard Consulting, LLC
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)The basic defect inherent in the American society is the lack of morals and values due to a poor sense of family culture and responsibility, essentially driven by a misplaced stress on freewill rather than on freedom. The virus is slowly but steadily spreading its tentacles to other nations and cultures too. We always believe in fighting the disease, not in uprooting the symptoms.Thank you for your comments, Mohan! I agree with you to a great extent. My article would have been too lengthy and I, too verbose, if I had covered in detail what you've mentioned. A lack of parenting, providing lessons and examples of high moral character and family unity is missing in many homes. Things are definitely not as they were when I was a child. It does take a village to raise a child when those same values are taught within that village. Faith-based values worked for us. Take care!
Avis, I am glad you left a comment on my article or I would never known to read yours. This was a well written, well researched article that makes sense. Telling kids to "say no" without giving them the respect to inform them with medically accurate information about sex is a no brainer and in my eyes, such an experiment was absurd. The ONLY large study which has ever shown that "abstinence only" education works was performed by the Heritage Foundation, a political group funded by extremely right religious and political groups. The study was seriously flawed from inception and failed to provide any real insight, though it did provide a nice soapbox from which many politicians speak. Thank you for your article. It was enlightening. To Mohan from India: I agree that ethics and morality have decayed in our country, but young folks have alwasy been the most likely to test all boundaries and question authority. In a world where it is impossible to keep kids from being exposed to MTV and where other kids treat sex so casually it is important for us all, as a community to provide kids with the confidence to say "no." That begins at birth and requires a great deal of effort from everyone who comes in contact with a child. Just telling a child to "say no" has never worked on any front, and in fact gives them something to rebel against. We, as the adult community need to work on respecting each other and ourselves first, and helping our children and others to become strong, self-respecting humans. We respect children when we provide them with medically accurate information as well as a strong sense of self-worth.Jennifer, thank you for the encouraging comment. I am familiar with Heritage Keepers. There is a program in my state. This site is in an ongoing study by Mathematic Policy Research and was not included in this final report. I believe they will find different results that support measures other than an abstinence-only education, that you, Mohan and I feel are lacking in our children's sex education. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my article. Take care!
Thank you Avis and Jennifer for responding and receiving so well! I appreciate your concern for a decadent society. Let's join in mass-awakening in a humble way.......Mohan, you're very welcome. You're delightful. Thank you for posting again. Even if there is disagreement, as your initial comment stated, we must get at the root of the problem and lay aside any differences. When there is agreement, we have strength in numbers. If we stand united, we can be a catalyst to that mass-awakening of which you spoke. If we stand divided, we fail. I appreciate you valuable input. Thanks again. [warm smile]
Avis a really good article and you really write well! You show your insight and reasoning. As a former youth minister I experienced first hand the immense impact of or culture on our young. They had to deal with growing up without a father, mother or even with strangers. Cursing, material goods, selfishness and covetousness are the norm. Many had no hope for college or the future and many remain in the morass of hopelessness. However, when at retreats and spiritual activities they shinned as a bright light. They sought so hard for an inner peace and worth and during that time they found that. Then they went home to reality and many were not strong enough to resist. Certainly when this is a normal part of our society, drugs, alcohol, sex and other forms of self-gratification take prominence. It is called acceptance and it is something we all long for. Quite frankly the family as we knew it has been under attack for years. What separated us from all other nations was that spirit of family values and core characteristics that created and forged our greatness. It was family traditions and ties that created neighbors and friendships. That unfortunately does not exist any longer but in a small minority of homes. People now live together and have children out of wedlock because it is easier to survive in that mode. The government and our society make it that way and once committed to this format you are addicted as you are even to drugs. Our children are beset with multiple problems that are over powering to even adults much less young ones. As example, in a church of over 4000 families perhaps 150 teens participated in youth programs. Of this amount maybe 20 or 30 were regular and of these maybe 60% were there because they did not want to go home. The rest were resisting the majority and were paying a price for their commitment. They were as we say not of this world. So this was the decisions and still is. To be accepted I must do what the world requires. Of the majority of children we taught abstinence to I would say over 80% never made it to marriage as virgins. You may call that success but I certainly do not. Yes, the root of it all is family. Unfortunately those intellectuals who forged this new modern society do not believe in family nor do they in religion. That is just a sad fact that will not go away in the short haul. Good work.Robert, I'm humbled, honoured and encouraged by your kind comments. Thank you so very much. Yes, families have been under attack since the beginning of time. You know the story about Cain and Abel. Of course, it started before them. When the family unit can be destroyed, the enemy knows nothing can be built to last when its foundation has been compromised. My heart goes out to the lost but especially our young people. Thank you for you comments. We can't give up even as we face the sad facts.
Avis, Great article! While abstinence does not work for most people, it is truth and truth is what we have been called to give to the world. I realize it is light years away from being a viable solution for so many people but we have to give people THE standard. I guess we will understand it better by and by. Thanks for a brave and well written piece!Joseph, thank you. I agree with you, we must give people truth but the whole Truth. Abstinence is an option, but abstinence alone results in ineffectiveness as proven by this study. Yes, we most definitely "will understand it better by and by." You made me smile. That took me back to childhood memories. Thanks for your comments!
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