DECEMBER ONE was World AIDS day and we came across an interesting fact. Youth aged 15-24 account for 16 per cent of new infections of HIV. This was the second-highest group. It made us think about how vigorously abstinence-only education is pushed in our high schools despite the fact that it has proven to be ineffective.  According to

 “Abstinence-Only Sex Ed Is a Failure”, an article published in the Child and Adolescent Health, Healthcare Policy Maternal and Reproductive Health  Aug. 22, 2017, abstinence-only (until marriage) education has hindered sex education, family planning and HIV prevention efforts. The article went on to say that abstinence-only education is ineffective because it doesn’t actually delay the age of sex nor does it prevent sexual risky behaviour. We agree that teens definitely should be abstaining, but the reality is that many of us are not doing so, or won’t be doing so for very much longer. Teens will eventually have sex, and if the only thing we were taught to do was to abstain, we will be more at risk for… everything. Of course, abstinence is a great and effective way to prevent HIV and pregnancy, however, it is unrealistic to think that everyone will abstain until they are married. (And even then, marriage isn’t an automatic deterrent, since people in marriages contract STDs from an unfaithful spouse, but that discussion is for another time). In addition to that, HIV can be spread in other ways such as mother-to-child transmission, coming in contact with infected blood and needles etc. Abstinence-only education comes from a religious point of view, as the Bible requires celibacy of Christians until holy matrimony, but the research shows that abstinence-only education is ineffective. It’s about time we put our feelings aside and do something that will actually be effective. There are lives at stake. We would like to see a more comprehensive sexual education curriculum introduced that is void of feelings and fear-mongering and instead filled with the facts and useful information. You’re probably wondering what comprehensive sexual education looks like. According to the 

United Nations Population fund website, comprehensive sexual education is a “rights-based and gender-focused approach to sexuality education” and it should provide “age-appropriate information consistent with the evolving capacities of young people”. This means that comprehensive sexual education will discuss all aspects of sexuality, gender expression, different types of sexual activity, the risks associated and ways of mitigating the risks. This form of education does not seek to tell adolescents to have sex but it also does not shame them or withhold vital information from them. Comprehensive sexual education also encompasses much more than sex in the physical sense, it endeavours to teach life skills and develop self-esteem in an effort to aid decision making, critical thinking, and other essential skills. This type of education would be made available to youth of all different ages in an appropriate way. Many people who are against comprehensive sexual education typically and wrongfully believe that teaching students about sex will entice them to have sex and do so riskily.  According to studies, however, this type of education does not lead to earlier or riskier sexual activity. As a matter of fact, this type of education has been shown to reduce risky behaviour. I’ve always heard that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. If that’s true then it’s time we abandon abstinence-only education for comprehensive sexual education since it’s proven to be effective and will, therefore, yield a better result. It’s the only logical choice.