Monday, March 22, 2010

HIV/AIDs epidemic continues to spread

The 2009 DC Epidemiology report says that there was a nine percent increase in reported cases of HIV/AIDS in just one year. Although less people developed AIDS, the last stage of HIV disease, that does not address the main issue.
The main issue is education to prevent HIV/AIDS infection. A recent study has shown conclusively that programs that emphasize abstinence from sex, unlike so called "comprehensive" programs that mostly emphasize using condoms, reduce the number of teens having sex. Why then does Washington, DC continue to push ever more condoms, even now promoting female condoms, when no study has ever shown that so called "comprehensive" sex education programs increase the rate of consistent condom use among the general population.
We need to provide all youth beginning in 6th grade with abstinence centered education that clearly teaches the physical, social, and emotional consequences of sexual activity outside of a mutually faithful monogamous relationship, i.e. marriage. Nothing else will do justice for the next generation of our leaders. As your next At- Large Councilmember I will work diligently with my colleagues to fund abstinence centered programs for all DC youth.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

New Study Shows Abstinence Programs Work

Sex education classes that focus on encouraging children to remain abstinent can persuade a significant proportion to delay sexual activity, researchers reported Monday Feb. 1 in a landmark study that could have major implications for U.S. efforts to protect young people against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Currently, the District of Columbia does not allocate any funding for abstinence programs.

Only about a third of sixth- and seventh-graders who completed an abstinence-focused program started having sex within the next two years, researchers found. Nearly half of the students who attended other classes, including ones that combined information about abstinence and contraception, became sexually active.

The findings are the first clear evidence that an abstinence program could work, according to the Washington Post. However, several other studies have shown efficacy in reducing sexual activity, such as these, but this study is considered to be more definitive.

"I think we've written off abstinence-only education without looking closely at the nature of the evidence," said John B. Jemmott III, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who led the federally funded study. "Our study shows this could be one approach that could be used. Read More
Source: The Washington Post Feb. 2, 2010 with additional content by Richard Urban