No 'Magic' in Abstinence Pledge; It's What Teens Do After They Vow
by Jim Brown
March 12, 2004
(AgapePress) - New research finds that teens who pledge to remain virgins until marriage have the same rates of sexually transmitted diseases as those who don't pledge abstinence. The head of a Christian campaign that promotes sexual purity among teens concurs.The study conducted by Columbia and Yale universities was presented this week at the National STD Prevention Conference in Philadelphia. According to the data, those who make a public pledge to abstain until marriage do, in fact, delay sex, have fewer sexual partners, and get married earlier.
However, Dr. Peter Bearman's study says the "Just Say No" message may work in the short term -- but does not work in the long term. "True Love Waits" founder Jimmy Hester agrees.
"That's a true statement because there's got to be continuous support for those who are making the pledge to abstinence," Hester says. "We've told teenagers all along there's nothing magic about signing a card -- it's what you do with your life after you sign that card and make that pledge that really counts."
According to the study, the similar incidence of STDs among virginity "pledgers" is because they are much less likely to use condoms. However, the TLW founder says such students often lack proper support from their parents and the community.
"When they find themselves in a situation [that] they don't know how to handle...because it's an emotional time and they're caught off guard, [a lack of condom usage] may have something to contribute to that [incidence rate]," he says. "But I do think they have more ammunition going into that kind of situation if they've made a pledge versus if they've not made a pledge."
Over a six-year period, the virginity study examined the sex lives of 12,000 adolescents ranging from age 12 to 18. Hester hopes the study's findings will compel parents and other adults to continue supporting young people who make virginity pledges.
