Essay On Abstinence Education

Despite the lack of any concrete evidence suggesting the effectiveness of abstinence only programs, the U.S government still continues to fund and promote it, with Donald Trump proposing a $277 Million budget for 2018 . This misdirection from the government is actually more harmful to teenagers and youth, the very own people that the program is meant to be saving. The need for a sexual education program nation wide came about during the 1970s and 1980s with the scare of the H.I.V and A.I.Ds and the teen pregnancy. Widely accepted when first implemented, science and data have been gradually revealing the ineffectiveness of these programs allowing educators to focus for some rules and ignore others. As a result, the Community based Abstinence Education was developed. This program, created in 2000, gave fundings to programs if it only adhered to the rules laid out in Section 510 and have stated that “sex education programs that promote the use of contraceptives are not eligible for funding under this announcement”. The United States government should stop funding abstinence only programs because they violate a young people’s right to have access to correct

In their aim to reduce teen pregnancy and STIs, abstinence only programs withhold valuable information regarding contraceptives and birth control. It is their belief that abstinence before marriage is the only foolproof way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STIs. However, up to 95% of Americans have had sexual relationships before marriage and the average age is usually 17, but children and marriage do not come into play til their mid to late 20s( Finer LB, Public Health Reports). They are especially at high risk during this time period if proper information is not provided for them. Sexual activity outside of marriage is condemned and considered shameful instead of addressing the needs of