Abstinence in Schools

An abstinence-based approach to sex education focuses on teaching young people that abstaining from sex until marriage is the best means of ensuring that they avoid infection with HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. As well as seeing abstinence from sex as the best option for maintaining sexual health, many supporters of abstinence-based approaches to sex education also believe that it is morally wrong for people to have sex before they are married. Abstinence approaches are represented in programmes such as Aspire and True Loves Waits, which teach kids that they should commit to hold off on sex until marriage.1

Many supporters of abstinence-based sex education have a background in or connection to Christian organisations that have strong views about sex and sexuality. Not only do they often believe that sex should only take place in the context of marriage, but some are also opposed to same-sex relationships and abortion.11 As a result of the strong faith basis for their beliefs about sex, supporters of abstinence education see the main objective as being to equip (and encourage) young people to refuse or avoid sex altogether, and they may exclude from their programmes any other information that they believe conflicts with this view. This may result in an abstinence-only course failing to include basic information about what activities transmit HIV and how such transmission can be avoided. 2

Abstinence programs for schools today have almost tripled in how much they talk to the students about the use of birth control. Although abstinence programs are about not having sex until marriage, some schools have decided that it is important to at least touch the subject with the students.

• Abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage is the expected standard for all school-age children
  



• Abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems
  



• A mutually faithful, monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of sexual activity
  



• Sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects
  



• Bearing children out of wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents, and society
  



• How to reject sexual advances and that alcohol and drug use increases vulnerability to sexual advances
  



• The importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity1

Citations

1. http://www.avert.org/
2. http://www.heritage.org/
3. http://www.guttmacher.org/