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Teenager’s Abstinence From Sex
Just how to decrease the level of sexual activity (particularly among the youngest teenagers) and increase the level of contraceptive use among those who do have sex have become major policy issues. Supporters both of sex education and abstinence programs will claim credit for the change in behavior suggested by the recent findings. Sex education has always had its opponents. They have argued that the schools have no business in these matters, or that schools should advocate sexual abstinence. Schools have been assigned the principal role in addressing teenage sexual activity, primarily through the provision of sex education and, to a lesser extent, through health clinics. Schools, after all, are the one institution with access to almost all young people. And sex education enjoys wide public support. Some abstinence programs are "abstinence-only." Their sole message is the avoidance of sexual activity until a specified time, such as after high school graduation or until marriage. If contraception is mentioned, it is within the context of possible failures and health risks. Other programs are "abstinence-plus." They offer a combined message: abstaining from sexual activity is the best course of action, but if one becomes sexually active, use contraception. Of the states that required abstinence education, 14 also included instruction on contraception. There have been even fewer rigorous evaluations of abstinence programs, but like those of sex education programs, they have shown only mixed results. Organizations within the "religious right" frequently attack comprehensive sex education, arguing that the only acceptable approach is to teach "abstinence only." Concerned educators, parents, teenagers, and health professionals must convince the public at large that it is futile to try and reach today's youth by focusing on "abstinence only" initiatives. In addition to sex education courses, many schools have tried to reduce teenage pregnancy and disease by making health care and contraceptives more accessible. The theory behind sex education is that inadequate knowledge can lead to unsafe sexual practices. Despite the fact that the majority of American teenagers receive some form of sex education, however, risky sexual practices continue, as evidenced by the high rates of pregnancy and STDs. Researchers have identified a myriad of antecedents to early sex and parenthood, including poverty, ignorance, exploitation, welfare, and the general propensity of adolescents to take risks. Still there are parents who do not educate their children on the risks of engaging in sex. They promote abstinence without discussing any other options with their children. Special school and other programs provide education about the dangers of engaging in sex as well as options should the teen choose to engage in sexual activity. There are two notable trends in nonmarital sexual activity by teenagers: more teenagers are becoming sexually active than in past years, and they are more likely to use contraceptives than their earlier counterparts. But lately contraceptive use at first intercourses increased greatly probably because of the fear of AIDS and the increased sexual activity among white and middle-class teenagers. Because more teenagers were using contraceptives, the pregnancy rate per 1,000 sexually active teenagers actually declined, even as more teenagers were having sex. Still, contraceptive use is far from universal, leading to high levels of abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, and nonmarital births. The authors conclude that the challenge for school-based programs is to pursue two simultaneous goals: lower the level of sexual activity and raise the rate of contraceptive use among those who have sex. Today, hundreds of sex education and abstinence programs, as well as school-based clinics and condom distribution programs, have been evaluated. Education programs seem to have no consistent impact on behaviors. While these programs increased knowledge about sexual matters, none of the evaluations found an impact on sexual activity or on the number of partners. Some, but not all the programs, affected condom or contraceptive use. There is new generation of programs that seek to increase the motivation of teenagers to avoid early sex and parenthood. These programs do not focus specifically on sexual behaviors, and provided at least minimal evidence of an impact of the program on sexual activity, contraceptive use, and pregnancy or birth rates. These programs have the potential to decrease a number of risk-taking behaviors in addition to unprotected sex, such as drug use and school failure. Three programs were found to reduce school failure and dropout rates. The increasing prevalence of sexual activity, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers makes abstinence programs a desirable - and viable - policy option. However, despite the appeal of such programs, little is known about how to persuade adolescents to abstain from sex. The researchers who try to keep track of the impact these programs have on teenagers still argue about the manner in which information should be delivered. Should it be an information-based lecture or more interactive? Should the message be positive or punitive? Should teachers or older peers deliver the message? Another issue is the length of the intervention. Parents should help researchers, policy makers, and program operators understand the effectiveness of sex education and abstinence programs and how such programs might be redesigned to be more effective. That is great tendency that more teenagers are aware nowadays of all their options and therefore tend to make more informed decisions about sex. Armed with more knowledge teenagers are better equipped to make intelligent decisions about sex. Whether a teenager chooses to abstain from sex or use protection, every parent generally agrees that a decline in overall teenage pregnancies is in everyone's best interest. If you are a parent having a difficult time talking to your child about sex, here are some advice for your teenager to read. Saying NO to sex is very hard if a teen really like his or her boyfriend or girlfriend. But being pressured to have sex if you're not ready takes all the fun out of the relationship. If you are a tten and you don't want to lose your partner and don't want to go any further, try these tips. If he or she is right for you, they'll be willing to wait until the time is right. Try these tips: 1. Tell your partner "NO" is the best form of birth control and the only SURE way of avoiding unplanned pregnancy and diseases such as HIV/AIDS or other STD's. 2. Don't wait until you've gone too far. Once you're hot and heavy, it's tough to stop. Tell your partner before you get the windows steamed up and decide beforehand how far you're willing to go. 3. Make sure that your partner knows how you feel and you don't want to lose him or her. You could say "I think you're great, but I'm just not ready for sex yet" or "I'd like to get to know you better before we go any further". 4. Explain your reasons for waiting. Know what you want. Be clear with yourself so you can be clear with your partner. Are you really ready to deal with worrying about birth control? What would your parents do if they found out? Maybe you'd like to wait until you're married. 5. If your partner is putting pressure on you to have sex, it may be time to call it quits. Someone who loves you enough will be willing to wait until you're ready. If your partner can't wait til you're ready, maybe it's time for you to find someone else who cares about YOU more than about sex. You deserve someone who won't pressure you. 6. Be proud of yourself for being able to say no. You're mature enough to know what you want and don't want. Remember, it's your body!!
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