Monday 22nd March 2010
If you are looking for a contraceptive that is 100% effective at preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases then abstinence is the perfect contraceptive for you.
While the idea of abstinence is not taught in many schools, in my opinion it should be. A good sex education class should cover all bases including how to say no and how to say no to sex.
There has been considerable debate over whether abstinence is a true form of birth control and if it is worth teaching to young people. Research shows that teens whose sex education is at least half abstinence-based are less likely to experience an unplanned pregnancy than those who receive contraceptive education alone; and women who report no sex education at all have the greatest number of unplanned pregnancies. It seems that abstinence education is important, and many young people do select abstinence as their method of choice.
Some people argue that sexual abstinence is not a true form of birth control. But, birth control is any act, drug, or device that is intended to prevent pregnancy. This means that choosing to abstain is really a contraceptive. Did you know that among teens abstinence is the most popular method of birth control? Among people aged 15-19, fewer than half have ever had sex. Over one in ten women of reproductive age have never had sex at all.
What are your feelings on abstinence? Should we be teaching our children about it in schools and at home as well as telling them about contraceptive devices?
Posts
1 comments:
Young people should definitely be taught how to say "no" to sex and should be encouraged to feel confident enough to do so until they feel ready in themselves, rather than bowing to peer pressure. Unfortunately, peer pressure is very real, so a good, solid education on various methods of contraception, as well as information on various STDs and their short- and long-term effects is extremely important. It needs to be drummed into young adults how important it is to take responsibility for their own sexual health and the consequences of unprotected sex, as well as the psychological effects of having sex when they are not actually ready to do so.
It might seem cruel to some, but I really think that scare tactics should be used (in part) - there is a very real threat of long-term helath problems and,in some cases, death, as well as pregnancy and the responsibilities it brings. I'm all for very graphic descriptions, alongside photographic evidence, of what STDs can do. I'm also all for young adults having to experience what it might be like to look after a baby - use of those crying, peeing, pooping dolls might be a good way to go!
Post a Comment