By denying adolescents complete information and by censoring teachers, abstinence only programs endanger our youth. Abstinence only programs can harm teens by putting them at risk of pregnancy and STDs.

Ideologically driven groups, not scientific or public health organizations, have pushed the proliferation of abstinence only programs. In fact, current scientific research fails to show that abstinence only programs are effective. Recent evaluations of 11 abstinence only programs showed that the programs had no lasting, positive effect on young people’s sexual behavior. What’s worse, due to the programs’ emphasis on contraceptive failure rates as opposed to proper and consistent use, the evaluations showed the programs had some negative effects on young people’s willingness to use contraception. In 2001, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy found no credible studies of abstinence only programs showing any significant impact on participants’ initiation of or frequency of sex.

Abstinence only programs fail to provide information about contraception beyond failure rates, and, in some cases, provide misinformation. Without complete and accurate information, some teens therefore may forgo contraceptive use, jeopardizing their reproductive health.

The lack of responsible sex education puts teens at risk of pregnancy and STDs, including HIV. One study that compared an abstinence only program with a more comprehensive “safer sex” program found that “only the safer sex intervention significantly reduced unprotected sexual intercourse.” Schools have been negatively influenced by the recent explosion of federal funds for abstinence only programs. Almost one third of secondary school principals surveyed reported that the federal abstinence only funding influenced their school’s sex education curriculum (eight percent reported a “great deal” of influence, 23 reported “some influence”).