ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

American Teens and Parents Reveal "What Works" in Sexuality Education

Disturbing Trend Toward Censorship Threatens American Young People

WASHINGTON, DC (September 26, 2000) A September 11, 2000 Congressional staff briefing by Advocates for Youth and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) revealed that teens and parents want schools to provide young people with information about both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Yet, new studies released today by the Alan Guttmacher Institute and the Kaiser Family Foundation reveal a disturbing trend toward abstinence-only education—education that censors information about contraception.

Advocates for Youth's President, James Wagoner, today calls on U.S. policy makers to stop censoring critical sexuality information from American young people. "Despite high numbers of teen births, HIV infection and teen abortion rates, young people are being denied critical information about contraception that could protect their health and save their lives," said Wagoner. "It is a classic case of U.S. politicians putting their agendas before the health and needs of our young people. And it has to stop."

Wagoner is not alone in his concerns. Teen Editors from the award-winning newsletter and web site on health and sexuality, SEX, ETC., a project of the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University, highlight the critical importance of providing teens with accurate, realistic information about sex.

"Abstinence-only programs are sending the wrong message to teens. These programs promote ignorance among teenagers as opposed to values. You can't educate us by denying us information. You have to give us information and let us be responsible," said Elizabeth Marchetta, a 16 year old Teen Editor of SEX, ETC. "Health classes that talk about contraception don't encourage teens to have sex, they encourage us to make responsible decisions."

"Both abstinence and contraceptive messages are needed in sex education programs. There are teens out there that are already having sex and they need to learn about contraception. You can't just leave those teens to get by on their own and to figure it out for themselves," said Thom Pasculli, a 17 year old Teen Editor of SEX, ETC.

That is why the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Nurses Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and more than 100 other medical and professional organizations all support comprehensive sexuality education—education that provides information about abstinence and contraception. In fact, the AMA recently urged schools to "implement comprehensive, developmentally appropriate sexuality education programs" as part of an overall health education effort.

In addition to experts and teens, the American public also supports comprehensive sexuality education. Results of a recent Advocates for Youth/SIECUS nationwide survey conducted by Hickman-Brown Research, Inc., reveal an unprecedented level of public support for comprehensive sexuality education. Ninety-three percent of all Americans support the teaching of sexuality education in high school, while 84 percent support sexuality education in middle/junior high school.

Research shows that comprehensive sexuality education helps young people delay the onset of sexual activity. And once teens become sexually active, those who have received comprehensive sexuality education are more likely to use contraception correctly and consistently and to have fewer sexual partners.

"Despite what the research shows, despite what teens say they need, and despite what the American public says it wants, Congress continues to dump taxpayer dollars into abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. In fact, this month Congress is voting on allocating an additional $50 million to these ineffective programs," said Wagoner.

Advocates for Youth calls on policy makers to support increased funding for realistic, balanced sexuality education that provides young people with information about both abstinence and contraception. "This type of sexuality education is the very foundation of what works in teen pregnancy, HIV and STD prevention. The research is clear. It's not either abstinence or contraception - young people need both," concluded Wagoner.

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Note to Editors and Producers: For more information or to set up an interview with adolescent sexuality experts, please contact Bill Barker at (202) 419-3420.

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