Abstinence-only sex education proves effective

PHILADELPHIA — A University of Pennsylvania study has found that abstinence-only education is the most effective way to reduce health risks associated with sexual activity, LifeSite News reported. The Pennsylvania study — following 662 black children in grades six and seven — found those who had completed abstinence-only instruction were less likely to have had sexual intercourse two years later than peers who were taught “safe-sex” practices such as condom use.

Some AIDS activists argue that those who receive abstinence-only education are less likely to use condoms when they do become sexually active. The Pennsylvania study found that abstinence-only education did not affect the rates at which teens used condoms.