CDC Study Shows Decline in Teen Sex during Abstinence Education Period; But They're Not Ready to Admit It

Fr. Mark Hodges : Jan 8, 2018
LifeSiteNews.com

Despite the survey period showing dramatic decline in sexual intercourse when the U.S. was supporting and increasing funding for abstinence-based education, the CDC said, "These findings cannot be connected directly to any specific intervention." As a result, both sides of the sex-ed debate are drawing their own conclusions.

(Washington, D.C)—[LifeSiteNews.com] "Fewer students are having sexual intercourse during the earlier years of high school," according to a new study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Photo: via Pexels)

About 41 percent of ninth to 12th grade students now admit to having had sexual intercourse, down from 47 percent in 2005 and a steep decline from 53 percent in 1995. The downward trend is especially prevalent among ninth and 10th graders, the CDC study found. Significantly less sexual experience was even greater among both black and Hispanicminorities.

"Nationwide, the proportion of high school students who had ever had sexual intercourse decreased significantly overall and among ninth and 10th grade students, non-Hispanic black (black) students in all grades, and Hispanic students in three grades," the report concluded.

Rates dropped among boys in general (down 48 percent to 43 percent), girls in general (46 percent to 39 percent), blacks students (down 68 percent to 48.5 percent), and Hispanichigh schoolers (51 percent to 42.5 percent). Much greater decreases in sexual intercourse were reported among black and Hispanic students than among white students. Also, decreases were greater among freshmen and sophomores than among juniors and seniors.

The government called the drop a "positive change," but only for secular reasons. "Early initiation of sexual activity is associated with having more sexual partners, not using condoms, sexually transmitted infection (STI), and pregnancy during adolescence," the report explained.

The report also did not state the reason for the decline in sexual activity among teens. The government simply concluded, "More work is needed to understand the reasons for these decreases," and "more research is necessary to understand the contributing factors" in order "to ensure that they continue."

Despite the survey period showing dramatic decline in sexual intercourse when the U.S. was supporting and increasing funding for abstinence-based education, the CDC said, "These findings cannot be connected directly to any specific intervention." As a result, both sides of the sex-ed debate are drawing their own conclusions. (Photo: Shutterstock/via LifeSiteNews.com)

Two different presidential administrations served during this period of dramatic decline in teen sex. The George W. Bush administration was supportive of abstinence-only programs, and the Obama administration worked against abstinence ed to specifically defund such programs...

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