Approaching Teen Risk Behaviors

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce released a report on July 6, 2012 entitled “A Better Approach to Teenage Pregnancy Prevention.” The report stated, “Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA), an abstinence-centered approach to sex education, is the best public health strategy to prevent unintended teen pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections.” The report goes on to explain; “Designed to emphasize risk avoidance, rather than risk reduction, SRA programs are based on effective programs designed to encourage teens to avoid underage drinking, illicit drug use, reckless driving, and other risky behaviors.”

The report addresses answers to questions surrounding what experts know about adolescents and risk taking, what protects teens as they learn to negotiate risk, and how a variety of successful public health prevention programs deal with teenage risk behavior.  A common theme in the answers to these questions lies in the power and influence of the parent. Studies show that parental guidance continues to be one of the most powerful yet underestimated tools in combating adolescent risk taking in our society.

The recommendations of the report include 1)encouraging our Federal government to adopt sexual risk avoidance as a better approach to teenage pregnancy prevention than the previously adopted and heavily funded national “comprehensive” sex education programs.  Comprehensive programs focus on risk reduction behaviors, such as condom usage and other birth control methods, and operate under assumptions that teens are incapable of discipline and self-control skills; harboring a learned helplessness mentality,  2 )supporting parents and guardians in their responsibility to be the primary sex educators of their children, and 3) focus on increasing public awareness that teens need guidance related to risky behavior, including sexual behavior.  The report can be read in its entirety at:  http://energycommerce.house.gov/Media/file/PDFs/07062012staffreport.pdf

Recognizing sexual abstinence until marriage as the healthiest, best lifestyle choice has been a priority for Hoosiers for years.  Indiana Code (IC 20-30-5-13) dictates that sexual abstinence be taught as the “expected standard for all school age children” recognizing that “abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems.”  It has been a privilege of the Pregnancy Care Centers of South Central Indiana to partner with schools in Bartholomew and surrounding counties to present complimentary curriculum in Health classes in which students are taught the healthiest, best lifestyle choice: refraining from all sexual activity outside of marriage and practicing fidelity within marriage.  

It is my hope that this letter encourages readers to take time to look over this report and thoughtfully consider the young people in which they could more fully engage and invest.  It is also my hope that parents and adult mentors are given confidence to stay plugged in to their children’s lives as active participation plays a vital role in the health and well being of our youth.   

Tracey Pike

Abstinence Education Director