WHAT IS ABSTINENCE EDUCATION?
As the Texas Panhandle's largest provider of abstinence education,
Worth the Wait is an abstinence program funded partially by
Federal and State Title V funds for abstinence education. Funding
for these programs began as part of welfare reform.
One might ask, "What exactly does Abstinence Education teach?"
Abstinence education treats teen sexual activity as a "risk" behavior. Teens who participate in any risk behavior, like smoking, alcohol use, drug use and sex are endangering their own well-being. In almost every other instance, medicine promotes risk avoidance as superior to risk reduction to those who will heed this advice. The problem seems to be that adults don’t think teens can WAIT! Adults often promote avoidance of tobacco, drugs and alcohol to teens because that is logical and SAFE. Abstinence is both logical and SAFE as well, and teens need to know that there are real risks in being sexually active.
What abstinence education does is teach teens the facts on teen
sexual involvement. Worth the Wait is a program, along with
many other federally funded abstinence programs, that includes
chapters on reproductive anatomy, reproduction, pregnancy, childbirth and STDs. These presentations (made by medical professionals
such as nurses and physicians) are medically accurate.
Teens are taught in no uncertain terms that there are millions
of sperm in each ejaculation and that, "a sperm's mission in
life is to look for an egg." Teens are also taught the shocking
truth about STDs...unfortunately a truth that still escapes
many uninformed adults. A portion of abstinence education deals
with the STD epidemic. Many STDs are incurable - some can even
be fatal. Teens in our program learn the fact that half of
all sexually active teens gets an STD each year.
Students are clearly told that if they are engaging in sexual
activity, they need to seek medical attention. They are even
instructed as to how/where they can seek medical care. Instruction
about contraceptive USE is best given by a medical professional.
After all, the American Academy of Pediatrics' instructions
on proper condom use involves 16 steps. We do not deprive sexually
active teens of access to contraception or information. We simply
do not believe that the classroom is the appropriate place for
that instruction to occur. And beyond contraception consideration,
sexually active teens need to be tested for STDs.
Delaying sexual involvement has obvious physical benefits. Our culture screams at teens from every possible venue that intimacy is achieved through sex. When the "relationship" then breaks up, teens usually feel abandoned and rejected. Abstinence education teaches that real intimacy is achieved over time through lasting relationships.
Thus abstinence education teaches the facts, but goes also beyond the facts. Teens are taught relationship skills, communication skills and the difference between physical intimacy and emotional intimacy. Abstinence Education assists teens with knowledge and skills to meet their full potential.
Teens are tougher and smarter than we realize. Present them
with the FACTS and SKILLS to succeed, and they will often make
good choices. In Worth the Wait's most recent program evaluation
conducted by Baylor University, program participants showed an
increase in self esteem. Perhaps that is what parents and teachers
and the community all want - healthy teens who do not let risky behaviors
jeopardize their goals. |
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