Abstinence Advocate Questions Study Findings
by Jim Brown
December 12, 2003
(AgapePress) - A new study claims that three in five teenagers who make a pledge to remain sexually pure until marriage don't stick to their commitment.The survey conducted by Northern Kentucky University revealed that 61% of students who made abstinence promises broke them. And of those who said they kept their pledges, 55% indicated they engaged in oral sex.
Jimmy Hester is founder of the Christian abstinence program "True Love Waits." He admits the high percentage of teens breaking their vows surprised him -- but he also questions the study of only 527 Northern Kentucky University students.
"[It's] difficult for me to understand how [this study has] gotten so much exposure because it's such a small focus study in one part of the country -- even on one campus," Hester says. "I'm not sure how true it would be across the country or even across other campuses. [But one thing] that has surprised us is the attention it has gotten."
Hester believes teens need support and encouragement from either a group of peers, their family, or church in order to maintain a commitment to abstinence. "Making a pledge and making a commitment will only work if a student has continued support," he says. "We have said all along [that] there's nothing magic about signing a commitment card -- there's not."
The Kentucky study found that only 16% of teens who made abstinence pledges waited until marriage to have sex.
