Pro Abstinence? Has anyone heard about the study?...?

Question

A Columbia University study of 12,000 teens from 13-18 over a 5 year period found that teens that signed a pro abstinence pledge were much more likely to practice un safe sex. What explanation could there be for this?

Could it be that while they were being told to not have sex they could have been learning about STD's and how very easy they are to prevent?

Does abstinence every work?

Answer 1

I went to catholic school. I think two of us graduated virgins. And, i wasn't one of them (LOL). The point is that abstinence should be taught in conjunction with responsible sex. Because young people will have sex. If you just teach abstinence everyone nods their heads and then drives to the woods for a little abstinence research in the back of the camaro :D

Answer 2

First, abstinence has only 1 documented failure, and that was 2000 years ago.

Second, the primary reason that kids who sign the pledges about abstinence are more likely to engage in "unsafe" practices (yeah, right, as if there were anything SAFE about 'safe' sex) is that they do not have a condom ready because they are less likely to "plan" to have sex.

The question is NOT does the abstinence training lead to a higher percentage of "unsafe" sex, but whether it reduces disease rates, pregnancy rates, and overall deliterious emotional and physical problems of adolescent sex.

THAT's what I want to hear from a study.

Answer 3

Abstinence-only teaching is a waste of time, it's better to teach teens how to stay safe. I don't know, maybe some people actually expect teens to follow abstinence-only teachings.

Answer 4

of course Abstinence works. I know lots of people at my church who it worked for when they pledged. I never took that pledge. I don't know about your schools, bu Canadian schools but we're taught about Std's and abstinence in junior high and about sex in grade 5. Anyone That goes to school here has to take that course, so you know all your options.

Answer 5

Abstinence is not going to work. Sex is the one thing that we can do that is a) cheap, b)fun, c)exercise, d)calorie-free. It's the one thing we can have without any consequences if we do it properly.