ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Public Opinion and Research Confirm that Teens Need Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Statement by James Wagoner, President of Advocates for Youth

WASHINGTON, DC—President Bush has proposed a $10 million increase in funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage education—education that censors information about contraception for the prevention of unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases. This increase brings the total allocation of taxpayer dollars to $92 million per year.

As conservative groups clamor for even greater federal expenditures for these programs, Secretary Thompson today outlines the FY 2002 priorities for the Department of Health and Human Services. It should be kept in mind that the decisions made by this Congress and the Bush Administration will determine how we confront the sexual health crisis currently facing U.S. teens.

Every hour of every day in the United States, two young people contract HIV. People under the age of 25 now account for half of all new HIV infections. There are about 900,000 pregnancies, nearly 500,000 births, and over four million cases of STDs among America's teens each year.

The issues surrounding these statistics are complex and defy simplistic solutions. But one thing is clear—young people need medically accurate and complete information to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and disease. That is why the recent trend of allocating taxpayer money to ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage education causes concern.

Recent reports by the Institute of Medicine, the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics call into serious question the "abstinence-only-until-marriage" approach and highlight scientific research in support of comprehensive sexuality education—education that includes information about both abstinence and contraception. In fact, these and more than 100 other medical and professional organizations all support comprehensive sexuality education.

And just this week, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy released a poll of adults and teens that shows that the American public overwhelmingly supports providing teens with information about both abstinence and contraception. This poll reinforces what the research has already shown. Comprehensive sexuality education is the most effective sex education for young people because it causes them to delay sexual activity and to use protection correctly and consistently when they do become sexually active.

Both science and the American public have sent a definitive message—it's not either abstinence or contraception, teens need both. It is time for Congress and the Administration to act as the research and public opinion direct—America's youth depend on it.

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