END AB-ONLY FUNDING AND SUPPORT THE REAL ACT


  • Eliminate funding for ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, while creating a dedicated funding stream for comprehensive sex education by supporting the REAL Act.

All available evidence and fiscal responsibility require that the funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs be eliminated and its resources directed to more vital, and evidence-based, needs. Existing funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs has grown exponentially over the past five years while other programs, such as evidence-based HIV prevention, have been cut. Our next President needs to reverse this trend.

We've got lots of concerns about abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Issues of medical inaccuracies in many of the most commonly used programs have been well reported. Some of these programs even prey on outdated fears of HIV such as teaching youth that HIV can be caught through contact with sweat and tears.

In addition, programs are prohibited from discussing the benefits of condoms and contraception, even for sexually active youth, and many abstinence-only-until-marriage programs actively seek to denigrate condoms, thereby discouraging their use. Finally, domestic and global scrutiny is increasingly bearing down on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs as a violation of human rights because they deny basic information that can save lives to those who are or will become sexually active.

Perhaps most importantly, however, is that these programs remain entirely unproven. No sound public health study exists to suggest that they have a long term positive impact on young people's sexual behavior. These programs have been funded by the federal government for over 25 years and yet, no study in a professional peer-reviewed journal has found them to be broadly effective.

In fact, a federally funded April 2007 report, conducted by Mathematica Policy Research Inc. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found no evidence that abstinence-only programs increased rates of sexual abstinence. In addition, 13 states have evaluated their Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage programs and the results range from finding the programs ineffective to finding them to be harmful.

With approximately half of all new HIV infections occurring among young people, it is clear that youth need comprehensive, medically accurate education about preventing HIV. It is beyond time for the policies to follow the evidence by supporting the programs that have been shown to be effective in protecting young people's sexual and reproductive health.

Currently there is no federal funding stream dedicated to comprehensive sexuality education—education that teach young people about abstinence and condoms, and stresses family communication, responsible decision-making, and negotiation skills. The Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act would create federal funding, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for comprehensive sexuality education that is age-appropriate, medically accurate, and stresses abstinence, while also educating young people about contraception.

Comprehensive sexuality education programs, like those that would be funded under the REAL Act, have been found to be effective in delaying the onset of sexual intercourse, reducing the number of sexual partners, and increasing contraception and condom use among teens. The evidence also shows these programs do not lead young people to have earlier sex. Further, all available research shows that these types of programs have been proven to be more effective at helping young people delay sexual activity than are abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.

Links and Resources

To learn more about abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, visit:

No More Money Campaign: http://www.nomoremoney.org/

SIECUS State Profiles: http://www.siecus.org/policy/states/index.html

What the Research Says fact sheet: http://www.siecus.org/policy/research_says.pdf

Public Support fact sheet: http://www.siecus.org/policy/public_support.pdf


Issue Brief: Efficacy of Abstinence-Only Programs for HIV Prevention Among Young People: http://www.amfar.org/binary-data/AMFAR_PUBLICATION/download_file/37.pdf

Abstinence, Sex Education and HIV Prevention: http://www.avert.org/abstinence.htm

To learn more about comprehensive sexuality education, visit:

REAL Act fact sheet: http://advocatesforyouth.org/real.htm

REAL Act: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.972 :

National Coalition to Support Sexuality Education: http://www.ncsse.org

In Good Company fact sheet: http://www.siecus.org/policy/in_good_company.pdf

For advocacy tools on these issues:

Community Action Kit: http://www.communityactionkit.org/

Rights, Respect, Responsibility. The Keep it REAL Campaign: http://advocatesforyouth.org/youth/advocacy/yan/sexeducation/index.htm