Sexual Health and Abstinence

Studies show, and logic confirms, that sexual abstinence is the best and healthiest sexual choice for teens. No form of contraception can provide complete protection from the physical outcomes and consequences of sex. With 1 in 4 sexually active teens acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI) each year, and with over 840,000 teen girls becoming pregnant annually, the physical consequences of teen sex are evident. In addition, few, if any, teens are mature enough to handle the other aspects of sex: attachment, bonding, and emotional consequences. The younger a person is at first sexual initiation, the more likely that person is to regret the decision to be sexually active. Teens who begin to have sex earlier in life also tend to have multiple sexual partners, which is one of the greatest risk factors for contracting an STI. Looking even deeper, studies show that sexually active teens are more likely to be depressed, and even have higher suicide rates than their virgin peers.

On a positive note, persons who remain virgins until at least the age of 18 are shown to have lower divorce rates, higher salaries, and higher levels of education later in life. (“Association of Virginity at Age 18 with Educational, Economic, Social, and Health Outcomes in Middle Adulthood” Adolescent & Family Health, Vol. 3 No. 4, April 2005.) Clearly, we can best help our teens by supporting them in keeping a commitment to premarital abstinence.

Each year, more and more teens are making the commitment to abstinence. Teen sexual activity rates are decreasing, as are teen pregnancies, due in large part to efforts in abstinence education. While these successes are encouraging, they also serve to remind us how much still needs to be done. With so much influence from the media and from peers teen life can be confusing. A strong abstinence message, heard at home, in schools, and in communities is the best way to guide pre-teens and teens through a potentially difficult time.

With this understanding of the teen world, NWFS’ programs examine the reasons teens have sex, the positive and negative uses of sex, and the reasons to abstain. They take a direct look at the world of teen sex today and at the freedoms that come with a commitment to saving sex for marriage. Practical skill-building exercises like resisting pressure, setting boundaries, and examining relationships are incorporated into our programs.

Stemming from our knowledge and experience in abstinence education, NWFS is also able to offer STI/STD and sexual health education with a focus on abstinence as an effective form of prevention. The health programs are grounded in a more comprehensive approach to the issues of teen life.