Advocates of abstinence-only sex-ed programs may have their hearts in the right place, but the statistics are not on their side. One well-respected study of abstinence programs found no delay in the loss of virginity, no impact on number of partners, and no impact on the frequency of sex. Texas may be the perfect place to examine what’s going on with these programs – it receives more federal funding for abstinence education than any other state – but leads the nation in teen births. Journalist Katy Vince has written an article about the effectiveness of abstinence programs for the current issue of Texas Monthly. It’s titled Faith, Hope and Chastity: Is there any good way to teach your kids about sex? Katy Vince speaks with Faith Salie on Fair Game.
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