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By Trevor |
New research is out that demonstrates just how ineffective virginity pledges are in promoting healthy sexuality. The data here is interesting, because it is longitudinal (meaning they followed a group of people over a period of six years) and matched-casewise (meaning people in the non-pledging group were matched with people in pledging group on a number of social factors, a method aimed at reducing statistical noise/bias). Of the findings, as reported by SIECUS:
* Five years after the pledge, 82% of pledgers denied having ever pledged.
* Pledgers and matched non-pledgers did not differ in whether they had premarital sex, whether they tested positive for sexually transmitted diseases, or whether they reported having anal or oral sex.
* Pledgers and matched non-pledgers also did not differ in their average number of lifetime sexual partners (~3 each) or average age at first sex (21).
* Though pledgers and matched non-pledgers had similarly high levels of religious belief and negative attitudes about birth control, virginity pledgers were substantially less likely to protect themselves against STDs and pregnancy.
* Pledgers and matched non-pledgers taken together reported less vaginal, oral, and anal sex than the general adolescent population.
* They also reported less birth control and condom use than the general adolescent population.
* While pledgers and matched non-pledgers taken together had fewer positive test results for gonorrhea than the general adolescent population, they tested positive at the same proportion for Chlamydia and trichomonaisis.
Can we get rid of these awful things once and for all?
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Abstinence only works until the next time.