Teens who pledge virginity have difficulty keeping it up

zagor

VIRGINITY pledges, in which young people vow to abstain from sex until marriage, have little staying power among those who take them.
More than half the adolescents who make such signed, public promises give up on their pledges within a year, according to a Harvard study.
The findings have raised the ire of Concerned Women for America, a conservative organisation that endorses adolescent sexual abstinence.
"The Harvard report is wrong," said Janice Crouse, a fellow at a Concerned Women for America think-tank.
"This study is in direct contradiction with trends we have been seeing in recent years. Those who make virginity pledges have shown greater resolve to save sex for marriage."
Virginity pledges were introduced in the early 1990s as part of the Christian Sex Education Project. Their adult champions hail the promises, which rest solely on the individual's word, as being a major step towards reducing teen pregnancy and raising moral values.
By some estimates, at least 2.5 million adolescents worldwide have publicly vowed to postpone sex until marriage. They include virgins as well as those who have had a sexual experience but who swear to refrain from further activity.
Many wear rings or other jewellery to symbolise their pledge.
For the Harvard report, researcher Janet Rosenbaum analysed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Development. It is the only Government-sponsored study that asks about virginity pledges.
The 14,000 survey subjects were interviewed in 1995 and again in 1996 and 2001.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

poodlehead

Is that a pun? Teens who pleadge virginity have a difficulty keeping it up? What exactly are they trying to keep up? Well of course if they are pleadging virginity, they shouldn't keep it up. Let that sucker lie there. Maybe that's why they are pledging virginity, because they can't get it up?

Are we talking about two different things? lol

funkyderek

http://www.technicalvirgin.com/

Their motto is "Everything Butt"!

Abaddon

If they have "difficulty keeping it up", then losing their virginity isn't going to be very likely, is it?

Bstndance

"The Harvard report is wrong,"

Is it just me or do these people say any research that is against what they believe is wrong without providing back up. I saw a news story on CNN.com about more scientific studies that prove homosexuality is not a learned behavior and I can bet that these people will flat out say "the studies are wrong".

Too funny.

funkyderek

Bstndance:

homosexuality is not a learned behavior

Maybe not, but it probably takes a bit of practice to get it right

LDH

I mentioned this on another thread about 'sex' not too long ago. I don't think it's the popular view among conservatives, i.e., those who bury their heads in the sand....

Forscher

"The Harvard report is wrong,"

I would need to have a good look at the methodology etc. to decide whether they are or aren't wrong. Besides, the good news from the study is that almost half of those who take the pledge do keep it at least a year. If it weren't for the fact that the Harvard folks are opposed to the concept of abstinence that would be considered a good thing.
Forscher

greendawn

That's the way it is, it is difficult to repress sexual desire especially at that age when sex hormones are at their highest levels, plus teenagers don't have any prior experience on how to deal with them.

Their best way out will be masturbation or else they will end up with having lots of wet dreams. Very few people can suppress sexual gratification without any ill effects.

Abaddon

greendawn

I so agree! It is tragic abstinence based education (as favoured in the US) typically deprives those kids who do have sex of the knowledge to do it safely. Poorly executed sex education is just as bad; the difference between US and UK teen pregnancy rates and those in most European countries illustrates this nicely. Comprehensive sex education reduces teen pregnancy; it does not encourage earlier sexual activity as comparison of figures for the US and UK with Holland and France shows.

Of course, the logical step (of sex education that encourages kids to masturbate can help delay them having sex too early) is something that makes many people squeamish... fourtuhately they find out anyway

Teens who pledge virginity have difficulty keeping it up

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