Study Shows That Abstinence Only…Works?

Analysis…

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A study just released has reinvigorated the right in the debate over sexual education.  The study shows that a form of abstinence education was successful in delaying initial sexual encounter, although it did not show std or pregnancy rate.  As President Obama cuts out money for abstinence only programs, what will this mean for sex ed?  More research is needed.

Feministing | But here’s the thing: not all abstinence-only programs are created equal. And this program – which showed success in very young students (the average age was 12) delaying sex for up to two years – is nothing like the abstinence-only programs that were widespread under the Bush administration. This program didn’t lie, shame, or even tell students to wait until marriage to have sex.

In fact, this program that abstinence proponents are falling all over themselves to tout, wouldn’t have been eligible for funding under the Bush administration.

Change.org | The key point in the recent study is that the program under evaluation is not your typical inaccuracy-ridden, condoms-bashing, slut-shaming, gender stereotyping abstinence education. Instead, the program encourages abstinence-until-ready — a message I can definitely get behind. It’s vital that young people understand that they control their own bodies, and that nobody else has the right to pressure them into having sex too early. But it’s also unrealistic to expect that the majority of American students will share the moral condemnation abstinence-until-marriage programs dish against premarital sex.

The Sexademic | I teach my high school students that there are only two ways to absolutely prevent pregnancy and STIs. Abstinence and Masturbation. I tell them repeatedly not to have sex unless they want to take that step. We talk about the emotional complications and physical dangers of sex. We also talk about the immense potential physical pleasure and connection.

The media doesn’t care about the complicated conversations going on inside of classrooms. They want to prop the combative debates with their headlines even if they misrepresent the data.

Dr. Petra | This is a useful paper and a fair piece of research. It has limitations which means it can’t reliably be used to inform sex educational policy, but it would certainly benefit from adaption and replication and a longer follow up. Unfortunately the problem is less about the study (which is clearly discussed by the researchers) and more about how the media has misreported it and how politicians and faith based groups are misrepresenting the findings to suit sex-negative abstinence programmes.

Rather than falling into that trap we should take this research as further evidence that sex education is effective when it is tailored to the individual needs of different children; builds confidence; resists peer pressure; addresses feelings and emotions as well as infections and contraception; promotes delay until a young person is ready for intimacy (see also here and here); and prepares them for positive relationships when they are older.

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