The purpose of the partnership, Rural Abstinence-only Education Partnership, is to improve the health and well-being of residents in the four targeted counties by encouraging a standard among stakeholders-educators, parents, youth, clergy, businesses and health providers – which asserts premarital sexual abstinence until marriage as the community norm.
The Rural Abstinence Partnership will address the high incidence of teen pregnancy, STDs and teen sexual activity among youth 12-18 years in four (4) rural counties (Copiah, Rankin, Scott and Simpson) in central Mississippi.
Nearly two-thirds (66%) of sexually active teens state that they regret their initial sexually activity and wish they had waited until they were older before becoming sexually active. 1
The earlier a teenage girl begins sexual activity the more likely she is to suffer from increased rates of infection with sexually transmitted diseases, increased rates of out-of-wedlock pregnancy and birth, increased rates of single parenthood, decreased marital stability, increased maternal and child poverty, increased abortion, increased depression, and decreased adult happiness. 2
Ninety-one percent (91%) of parents want schools to teach that adolescents should be expected to abstain from sexual activity during high school years. 2
Teenage boys who are sexually active are more than twice as likely to be depressed and are almost ten times more likely to attempt suicide than boys who are not active. 2
Young women who take a virginity pledge are about 40 percent less likely to have a child out-of-wedlock when compared to similar young women who do not make pledges. 2
Seventy-six percent (76%) of parents prefer abstinence-only education be taught in schools. 3
Teens who participate in abstinence education programs have significantly lower sexual activity rates. 4
The goals of the Rural Abstinence Partnership are to create a shared vision whereby community stakeholders embrace, support, advocate for and celebrate premarital sexual abstinence:
- To increase the number of youth who postponed sexual activity until marriage;
- To increase the number of youth who return to an abstinent lifestyle until marriage;
- To reduce the number of teen births and sexually transmitted diseases;
- To increase the number of youth with values, attitudes, knowledge and skills which support sexual abstinence until marriage;
- To increase parent/child communications which reflects knowledge of the health and social benefits of remaining abstinent until marriage;
- To provide adolescents with age appropriate social educational and cultural enrichment experiences which reinforce sexual abstinence until marriage; and
- To provide youth with social and cultural experiences which reinforce and celebrate premarital sexual abstinence.
Sources: 1National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
2 The Heritage Foundation
3 WJTV Channel 12 News/On-line poll
4 Texas A&M Study/Abstinence Clearinghouse
Rural Abstinence Partnership :.
