Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage
Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage:
A Waste of Public Funds
Each year millions taxpayer dollars are spent on abstinence-only-until marriage programs which have continually proven to be ineffective. There is no scientific evidence that young people in abstinence-only-until-marriage programs—those that censor information about contraception— feel positively about waiting until marriage before becoming sexually active. Yet since 1997, more than $87 million dollars have been spent to funding such courses. However, research shows that sexual education which teaches both abstinence and contraception is particularly valuable in preventing some of the negative consequences that can possibly come with sexual activity. What young people are in need of is comprehensive sex education. This is the only way to equip teens with knowledge that will allow them to make informed decisions regarding abstinence, peer pressure, and sex.
Government funding of Abstinence-only programs is not new. Starting in 1981, Under the Regan Administration, the federal government has unfailingly funded abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Funding for these unproven programs has grown considerably since 1996. Between 1996 and federal Fiscal Year 2005, Congress paid out more than $1.1 billion dollars (through both federal and state matching funds) to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. This year, the federal government has allocated $178 million through three separate funding streams for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. For Fiscal Year 2007, the President has proposed increasing this funding level to $204 million despite the lack of evidence that what is being taught by these programs is successful. Perhaps it is time to try a method that has already proven its effectiveness.
“Fear may be the only thing getting through. Many of these programs used curricula that rely on fear and shame and this may be the only message young people retain. The...
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