The Centers for Disease Control estimates that:

• Over 65 million Americans are now infected with an std.
• 19 million new sexually transmitted disease infections occur each year in the United States, with 2/3 of those occurring in people 25 years old or younger.
• At least 45 million Americans ages 12 and older, or one out of five adolescents and adults, have contracted herpes. The 2006 National Institutes of Health website states that herpes infection “can occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or protected by a latex condom, as well as in areas that are not covered.”
• Approximately 24 million Americans are infected with human papilloma virus (HPV). At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. Certain strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer and other genital cancers. Other strains cause genital warts. According to the National Institutes of Health, “HPV infection can occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or protected by a latex condom, as well as in areas that are not covered.”

These statistics expose the truth that the reliance on the “safe sex” approach to sex education has led to a tragic epidemic of infection and life threatening diseases. In contrast, as more research is made available on abstinence education, there have been some positive gains:

• According to the Youth Risk Behavior Study, the number of abstinent teens has increased from 45.9% in 1991 to 53.2% in 2005.
• The CDC reports that two thirds of teens are currently abstinent.
• The National Center for Health Statistics reports that teen births and sexual activity has decreased every year since 1991.
• The Center for Disease Control has credited 53% of the drop in teen pregnancy to abstinence.

The expected benefits are not just physical – a recent Heritage Foundation study reported that young people who make a decision for abstinence are less likely to be depressed or suicidal. Moreover, abstinent teens often feel empowered and strengthened with the knowledge that they can resist peer pressure and make healthy choices!