The Abstinence Clearinghouse Blog

Have you read “The Purity Myth” by Jessica Valenti. In my opinion,  Ms. Valenti spends an enormous amount of trying to explain why a young women’s character should not be defined by their virginity or lack of it.

Unfortunately, along the way, Ms. Valenti presents many skewed facts in her publication regarding abstinence education, abstinence programs, and people in the abstinence movement.  She doesn’t seem to get the fact that abstinence programs help young women (and men) build self-esteem, by having them take an inward look at how valuable they are as a person.   It’s also learning to care about their bodies. By remaining abstinent, they are more likely to be healthy physically and emotionally when they enter a marital relationship. 

I love the way this teen puts it in her blog. “The real problem is that the worldview of our culture tells us it is OK to take risks, fulfill our desires and live for the moment, all without regard for the consequences.”

Valenti states in her book that “honesty, kindness and altruism” are important characteristics.  Of course they are; but just as important is the proper order of a healthy relationship as taught through abstinence education. 

New FDA Records Obtained by Judicial Watch Indicate 28 Deaths

Related to Gardasil in 2008

Records Document 6,723 Adverse Reactions in 2008,

Including 1,061 Considered “Serious” and 142 Considered “Life Threatening”

(Washington, DC) — Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained records from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documenting 28 deaths in 2008 associated with Gardasil, the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), up from the 19 deaths in 2007.  The total number of Gardasil-related deaths is 47 since the vaccine was approved in 2006.  Overall, the FDA documented 6,723 “adverse events” related to Gardasil in 2008, of which 1,061 were considered “serious,” and 142 considered “life threatening.”

The following are several “adverse events” documented by the FDA’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)”: 

·         “15 months from the completion of the GARDASIL HPV vaccination, I had full blown cervical cancer.  My oncologist would like to do a hysterectomy at this time, but [as I have] always wanted children, I have chosen to wait  . . . I have two of the [strains] that the shot is suppose to prevent . . . I now have cervical cancer and I am left wondering what role the GARDASIL HPV vaccination played in the hasty onset.”  (ID: 319836)

·         “After receiving her second dose of GARDASIL . she could crawl but . needed to use crutches or a wheel chair … She was experienced problems breathing and had ’super migraines’ that never went away . She had swelling in her face, jaw and wrists.  The patient was diagnosed with GUILLAIN-BARRE syndrome, myelin sheath degeneration and peripheral neuropathy.  Patient was hospitalized twice . patient has not recovered from symptoms.”  (ID: 318052)

·         A 19-year-old girl with no medical history immediately experienced side effects after receiving the Gardasil vaccine.  Within eleven days her symptoms included “Aggression, Arthralgia, Complex partial seizures, Confusional state, Convulsion, Crying, Dizziness, Epilepsy, Fatigue, Feeling abnormal, Grand mal convulsion, Immediate post-injection reaction, Irritability, Myalgia, Nausea, Pain, Postictal state, Somnolence, Syncope, Tremor, and Unresponsive to stimuli.”  (ID: 320598)

·         “Two weeks after the third dose, the patient developed a complication.  She was taken to the hospital by ambulance but passed away during the transport from an unknown cause.Upon arrival in ER unresponsive, pupils fixed and dilated, no cardiac activity.  Resuscitation unsuccessful and patient expired.”  (ID: 314769)

The FDA VAERS reports show that since last June, 235 cases detailed permanent disability.  There were also 29 new cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and 147 cases of “spontaneous abortions,” or miscarriages, when the vaccine was given to pregnant women. 

Moreover, 62 girls developed warts after receiving the vaccine.  This development is of particular concern because Gardasil, which is designed to prevent two strains of genital warts, is not supposed to react with other HPV strains.  However, not only did previously healthy women experience genital warts after the vaccination, but 21 girls developed warts on other areas, most commonly the face, hands and feet, and in one case, “all over her body.” (ID: 330671)

Of the 47 reported deaths, 41 occurred within a month of receiving the vaccine and of those deaths, 17 were within two weeks of receiving the vaccine.  In most of the deaths the cause is still unknown.

“The FDA is supposed to be a guardian of public health, and yet the agency continues to turn a blind eye to what seems to be an extremely serious public health problem.  The public relations push for Gardasil by Merck, politicians and public health officials needs to pause so that these adverse reactions can be further studied,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.  “The already serious problems associated with Gardasil seem to be getting worse.  No one should require this vaccine for young children.”

I read with interest an article posted by Bob McAlister and Dave Wilson as they relate the story of a girl they called Amanda who found herself pregnant at 15-years-old.  Her legacy—her mom was 30; her grandmother, 45.  You do the math; each of them had once upon a time been in Amanda’s predicament.

In Amanda’s case, her tragic situation was compounded by the fact that the father of her baby was gone; her dad was in prison; and the man living with her mom was boyfriend number six.

Unfortunately, Amanda’s story is much like that of many others.  Single moms struggling to make ends meet, sex at an early age associated with family instability, children having children with little to no hope of breaking the cycle.

These two men cited that it the 80’s and 90’s family planning programs promised breakthroughs for young women like Amanda.  But, as funding for contraception-centered programs increased, STD/HIV and teen pregnancy rates skyrocketed.  Subsequently, government costs for health and welfare programs ballooned out of control. 

They state “The impact of out-of-wedlock and broken families has been well documented by the social sciences and is beyond dispute.” 

However, there is a ray of hope in all of this.  Abstinence education has reversed the trends of the 90’s, when the majority of teens were having sex.  After federal and state governments made a real investment in America’s future by financially supporting abstinence education programs, the majority of today’s teens say that they are abstaining, a phenomenal change in trends.  Abstinence education is teaching the skills that break the cycle of poverty for untold thousands of the next generation.

Perhaps we will be able to get America’s youth to commit to prepare for marriages, commit to marriage, honor it culturally, and prevent the hardship of divorce and kids being born out of wedlock.  That’s an investment that will mean a stronger America.

Thank you Bob and Dave for shining a light on the success of abstinence education!!

Source:

Letter to the Editor

The Palmetto Scoop

I believe that it is extremely important for us to our opinions on the proposed budget that cuts funding for abstinence education to our various representatives so that they know the truth before they support this extreme measure.

The media continues to use inaccurate information on the success of abstinence education clouding the general public’s perception.  We in the abstinence community know that “abstinence only” is successful and makes a difference in the lives of the youth who are committed to this lifestyle.  In the states where the Governor’s decided to not accept abstinence education funding, the teen pregnancy rates and STD rates actually increased this past year.  We must be persistent in finding ways to get correct information out to others. 

It has always seemed like an oxymoron to me for people to say that “abstinence only education does not work”.  How can abstaining from something not work!!  We know if you “just say no” to any risky behavior and stick to that philosophy IT CAN NOT FAIL!  It has a much higher success rate than a piece of latex when choosing a condom or other ideas pushed by contraceptive-only teachings. 

However, our main concern must ultimately be the youth we serve.  Teens always feel that nothing can touch them; that they are invincible and in complete control.  However, if they choose to follow contraceptive-only education, they put their futures and their very lives in danger by exposing themselves to the risks of teen pregnancy and diseases that have life-long and life-ending consequences.

That is why we must persevere; for the future of our teens–our very own children and grandchildren.  They must have the opportunity to hear the message given in abstinence education programs so they can make informed and wise choices.  

I read this blog post on a recent site.  I thought it was very interesting.  This young person proves that abstinence does work if you give it a chance!!

“Abstinence vs the Pig Skinned Condom

Okay, so there are two ways you can look at sex ed. I got the abstinence version of sex ed, and it came from my parents before anybody else told me about what sex is. Which is why I feel that in a conservative sense, this needs to be pushed more often given what types of activities and trouble our children get into, when they’re not even ready yet to take on the responsibilities of adulthood (although a lot of adults I’ve seen over the years have never been ready either).

Liberal people that I know have pointed out that this isn’t like the old days, and no matter what, kids will have sex. You can’t prevent them from following their sexual wantings or instincts, which is why it is important to teach them how to be safe while being sexually active. I’ve tried to look at this aspect, but it’s really ridiculous. They say that all we do is tell kids “DON’T HAVE SEX!” They may think we’re like that but I’ve also come to a conclusion about the flaws in the sex education that you find in public schools and even private schools. All the teachers tell the kids is “this is a condom, this is how you put it on, HAVE FUN!” That really doesn’t solve the issue either. Instead, this method creates MORE problems than what we’re trying to prevent.

I am getting ready to graduate college in the fall. I believe in abstinence and while temptation may be present, I’ve avoided circumstances that may have led me to otherwise unavoidable circumstances this far. My parents both believed in abstinence and remained so until their marriage. It runs the same in my family. I will remain so until I find that significant other, and join in the institution of holy matrimony, between a man and a woman.”

Source:  The Republican Daily Borg

              Operative.com

I’ve been told that if I’d been a parent in the 1950s, I probably would have spoken out against Elvis Presley’s pelvic thrust as a dance move. The theory is that teens of every generation will find their own ways to rebel against the cultural norm, and that parents from one generation to the next always object with questions such as “What is this world coming to?”

Perhaps. But that doesn’t stop me from asking the question, “What IS this world coming to?”

These days I’m becoming increasingly convinced I should have walked the earth in prehistoric times. Clearly, I’m a dinosaur, especially when it comes to parenting and culture.

I’d happily accept Elvis’ pelvis over the twisted notions of sexual normality that now permeate our culture. To wit: Last week’s feature on ABC’s “Good Morning, America” about “objectum sexuals,” defined as folks who develop intimate relationships with things, not people.

Apparently, a sexual relationship with a park bench now is considered simply an alternative lifestyle. If this is true, we’d have to decriminalize public indecency laws on the grounds that they discriminate against those who choose to express their affection for their loved ones. After all, we can’t dictate the yearnings of our hearts, can we? We love what we love.

 If that sounds absurd, here’s another one for you. The Vermont legislature this week will conduct hearings on a bill that already has passed its Senate and will now be considered by its House Judiciary Committee, which would legalize the practice of “sexting” among teenagers 13 to 18.

Currently, it is illegal to electronically distribute sexually explicit photographs of children and teens. People who do this are prosecuted and go to jail, where even the other hardened criminals think they’re creepy.

Problem: the new fad among teens is to take dirty pictures of themselves and send those photos via cellular phone to their adolescent lovers. It’s “consensual” as long as the person who receives the photos doesn’t forward them on to the guys in the locker room without his girlfriend’s permission. (Don’t be silly. That never happens.)

Vermont doesn’t want to prosecute and punish teens for what it deems an act of poor judgment. Legislators have gone on record as saying they think the practice is foolish/stupid/wrong, but that teens should not be marked as sex offenders for what is essentially self-exploitation.

Good plan, Vermont. Declare something is wrong and then legalize it. No, really. I get it.

Not that it´s easy to get teens to do what´s right. They don´t operate in the world of moral absolutes, since that world went the way of the woolly mammoth.

This is why, in an article about this insane legislative effort, an expert on talking to teens says adults should not try to convince kids that sexting is wrong, but rather we should focus our moral laser beams on the fact that sexting is “uncool.”

The logic: Teens don´t care about what´s right or wrong, only about what´s cool and uncool. Therefore, if we want to manage their “sexting” behavior, we have to convince them that truly cool people don´t do this.

Clearly, Vermont ought to spend its time declaring what is and isn’t cool, since they don’t seem to care about what is and isn’t wrong.

It’s enough to make you want to sit on a park bench somewhere and think about how weird our world has become.

Then again, that might not be such a great idea.

Visit Marybeth Hicks at www.marybethhicks.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Floro
PHONE: 605.335.3643

President Obama released his FY 2010 Proposed Budget today and called for at least $164 million in funding for contraceptive-only education. This includes competitive grants, research, evaluation and authorization for $50 million in new mandatory condom grants to states, tribes and territories.

The budget eliminates funding for CBAE (Community Based Abstinence Education) and Title V Abstinence Education Program. This means that the CBAE money will continue funding through September 30, 2010.

President Obama’s new budget is a Hollywood-failed old approach that only increases teen pregnancy and damages America’s greatest resource, our children.

Leslee Unruh, President and Founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, said “I believe there will be a political backlash for those who oppose these life saving abstinence programs. The enemies of sexual integrity programs will feel the heat from the army of youth who have seen the light through these programs as they approach voting age.”

This fight is far from over. We have a mountain to move. Abstinence educators from all over the world are joining together in strategic meetings that will take place June 16-19, 2009. We have clear goals and sound strategies. See more information at www.abstinence.net.

The Abstinence Clearinghouse agrees with Margaret Thatcher: Defeat? We don’t know the meaning of the word.

Thank you to all the abstinence educators who continue to boldly stand for truth.

###

Check this out!  Comprehensive Sex Ed Doesn’t Do Better than Abstinence Ed, Institute Says

Media contact: Irene Ericksen

Phone: (801) 506-3575

Comprehensive Sex Ed Doesn’t Do Better than Abstinence Ed

When Measured by Same Standards, Institute Says

WASHINGTON, DC (May 13, 2009).  A sex education researcher reported in a Congressional briefing on April 29^th that when measured by the same standards of effectiveness, comprehensive sex education programs in America’s classrooms do not show more evidence of success than abstinence education programs.  This conclusion contradicts recent claims made by journalists and Congressional representatives that abstinence education is a proven failure.

The findings of Dr. Stan E. Weed and colleagues at the Institute for Research and Evaluation (IRE) highlight the debate between two different sex education strategies.  Abstinence education encourages youth to adopt healthy lifestyles and avoid sexual activity, while focusing on positive relationships and preparing for future opportunities and family life.  Most comprehensive sex education (CSE) programs place a major emphasis on sexual decision-making and condom instruction/promotion but the emphasis on abstinence varies widely, with many programs giving it only passing mention.

Dr. Weed reported the results of their review of 119 studies of sex education, comprising 20 years of research by social scientists in the U.S.    Previous reviews of these studies have generally used low standards to determine program effectiveness (e.g., improvement on any behavior, for any subgroup, or for any time period).  Even using such standards, IRE found that in school/classroom-based settings 44% of abstinence programs had improved rates of teen abstinence, while only 36% of CSE programs had improved some measure of condom use.  No school-based CSE programs were found that increased consistent condom use for more than three months.

Since the purported advantage of CSE is that these programs can increase both abstinence and condom use (among the sexually active), IRE examined whether there were programs that succeeded at both.  While 44% of the CSE studies showed improvement in abstinence, there weren’t any school-based CSE programs that demonstrated increases in both abstinence and condom use for the target population (two had subgroup effects), thus showing no real advantage over abstinence programs.

IRE then analyzed these school-based programs according to what it considered to be more meaningful standards of effectiveness:  1) Did the program increase teen abstinence or consistent condom use?  2) Did this behavior change occur for the target population and not just for a subgroup of students?  3) Did the effect last at least one year, that is, from one school year to the next?  Applying these criteria, IRE found that a higher percent of school-based abstinence programs were effective than CSE programs: 36% vs. 25%. 

This review contradicts recent claims made in Time, Newsweek, and a Congressional letter circulated by Rep. Paul Hodes (D-New Hampshire) that abstinence education has failed while comprehensive sex education has been successful.  Dr. Weed expressed surprise that the lack of evidence of CSE success in schools had not been reported: “Research evidence does not support the widespread distribution of comprehensive sex education in the schools or the elimination of abstinence education as a viable prevention strategy.”

Robert Rector Tells It Like It Is!

The following are excerpts from an article published by CNSNews.com.  Click here to read the full article.  Mr. Rector’s messaging is strong and accurate.  We encouarge affiliates to quote him as you continue to raise awareness and support in your community for your programs.

Robert Rector, a senior analyst at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank, said the president’s move came at the request of abortion-rights groups, including Planned Parenthood.
 
“Planned Parenthood and its ideological allies have opposed abstinence-only sex education from the very first day that the federal abstinence programs were created – not because of issues of effectiveness, but because they are ideologically opposed to teaching abstinence,” Rector told CNSNews.com.

“They have promoted alternatively, material that promotes and encourages sexual promiscuity but that encourage the use of condoms along with promiscuity,” Rector said.
 
Rector, who has published research examining abstinence education programs, defended their effectiveness.
 
“The federal abstinence programs are effective in reducing sexual activity, and they are, in fact, one of the few last remaining voices in our society that gives young people a message of self-restraint, rather than a message of sexual indulgence,” Rector said.
 
“They teach kids that casual sexual activity is harmful, for a variety of reasons, and they teach kids that sex is a lot more than physical passion,” he added. “It’s a very helpful, supportive message that’s supported by virtually every parent, and is now being torpedoed by a very small set of left-wing groups promoting the doctrines of Dr. Alfred Kinsey.”

Rector, meanwhile, said “abstinence-plus” – or comprehensive sex ed curricula – are really .
 
“Nowhere in any of those curricula, do they ever suggest that young people should wait until they are older, or, for example, postpone sexual activity until after they get out of high school,” Rector told CNSNews.com. “‘Have a hot time on Friday night, but wear a condom’ is the message in those programs and it is the message that Planned Parenthood wants offered.”
 
Rector cited a passage from one popular comprehensive sex-ed curriculum — “Be Proud! Be Responsible!”– that has HHS approval:
 
“Invite students to brainstorm on ways to increase the spontaneity and likelihood that they will use condoms. Examples: Store condoms under your mattress. Eroticize condom use with a partner. Use condoms as a method of foreplay. Think of a sexual fantasy using condoms. Act sexy and sensual when putting your condom on. Hide them on your body and ask you partner your body to find it. Wrap them as a present to give to your partner before a romantic dinner. Tease each other manually while putting the condom on.”
 
He added: “This is what is to be taught to children in middle school under the Obama model. Did that sound like it was stressing abstinence to you? Of course not. They only mention it in a marginal, derisive way.”
 
Rector said the message, which is “supported by practically no parents,” is now “the excusive message promoted by the federal government.”

Propsed Cut….STAND UP AND FIGHT!

President Obama released his FY 2010 Proposed Budget on May 7th and called for at least $164 million in funding for contraceptive-only education.  This includes competitive grants, research, evaluation and authorization for $50 million in new mandatory condom grants to states, tribes and territories.

The budget eliminates funding for CBAE (Community Based Abstinence Education) and Title V Abstinence Education Program.  This means that the CBAE money will continue funding through September 30, 2010.

President Obama’s new budget is a Hollywood-failed old approach that only increases teen pregnancy and damages America’s greatest resource, our children. 

Leslee Unruh, President and Founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, said “I believe there will be a political backlash for those who oppose these life saving abstinence programs.  The enemies of sexual integrity programs will feel the heat from the army of youth who have seen the light through these programs as they approach voting age.”

This fight is far from over.  We have a mountain to move.  Abstinence educators from all over the world are joining together in strategic meetings that will take place June 16-19, 2009.  We have clear goals and sound strategies.  See more information at www.abstinence.net.

The Abstinence Clearinghouse agrees with Margaret Thatcher: Defeat?  We don’t know the meaning of the word. 

Thank you to all the abstinence educators who continue to boldly stand for truth.