Senate Committee Hearing Testimony Against Irresponsible Sex Education Bill
Proposal would jeopardize health of young people by pushing abstinence-only message
Madison, WI – Today the Senate Education Committee will hear testimony on the Irresponsible Sex Education Bill, SB 286, introduced by anti-birth control Republicans in an attempt to mis-educate and deny young people complete and accurate information about preventing unintended pregnancy and disease.
Research shows that comprehensive, medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education delays teen sexual activity, results in less frequent sexual intercourse, and greatly increases the chances teens will use protection when they do engage in sex. Similarly, young people who only get abstinence education are less likely to use condoms and other birth control.
This bill would jeopardize the health of Wisconsin youth by amending the current law to require schools to focus on abstinence-until-marriage messages.
No fewer than 11 independent evaluations have been conducted on abstinence-until-marriage programs. This extensive body of research has proven that these programs have no lasting, positive effect on young people’s sexual behavior. In fact, because of the programs’ emphases on contraceptive failure rates as opposed to proper and consistent use of contraceptives, the programs had negative effects on young people’s willingness and ability to properly use contraception.
“Instead of focusing on unrealistic and discriminatory abstinence-until-marriage messages, political leaders should heed the public’s desire for common-sense, prevention-based education,” said Kelda Helen Roys, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. “Let’s work together to ensure that young people have the tools they need to protect their own health and make responsible choices. We have a duty to help prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion, particularly among teens.”
Recent statistics show that nearly half of all high school students have had sex. In fact, more than 800,000 young women (under 20 years of age) become pregnant each year; 80 percent of these pregnancies are unintended. Research has shown the most effective way to ensure young people have the skills to prevent unintended pregnancy, resist peer pressure, correctly and consistently use contraceptive, and prevent and treat STD/HIV infections is to provide them with comprehensive sex education.
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin is the political arm of the pro-choice movement, building a culture of freedom and personal responsibility. Our political advocacy ensures women the full range of reproductive health care services, including preventing unintended pregnancies, bearing healthy children, and choosing safe, legal abortion. More information is available on NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin’s website, www.prochoicewisconsin.org.
i. In “Prevention First” NARAL Pro-Choice America. Debra Hauser, Advocates for Youth, Five Years of Abstinence-Only-Until Marriage Education Programs, at i,ii (2004).
ii. The Alan Guttmacher Institute, Sex Education: Needs, Programs and Policies (Apr. 2004).
iii. Guttmacher (Apr. 2004).
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