Media

For Immediate Release:
June 6, 2005

Contact: Adrienne Verrilli
at: 212-819-9770 x325

Report Shows Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in Ohio Riddled with False and Misleading Medical Information Putting the State's Young People at Risk

New York, NY - A report released today by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that a number of Ohio's abstinence-only-until-marriage programs contain "false and misleading information regarding sexual health and wellness." Specifically, the report concluded that Ohio's abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula contain false information about contraceptives and abortion, misrepresent religious convictions as scientific fact, perpetuate inaccurate gender stereotypes, contain inaccurate scientific information regarding the risk of sexual activity, disregard the needs of youth at risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pregnancy, do not provide information for LGBTQ youth, and may be taught by instructors who are not trained as health educators.

"Sadly, Ohio is not alone. A Congressional inquiry released in December of 2004 found that over 80% of the abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula used by over two-thirds of federal grantees in 2003, contain false, misleading, or distorted information about reproductive health," said Bill Smith, vice president for public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS). "It is unacceptable that the federal government continues to dump millions of taxpayer dollars into abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that contain false and misleading information, censor critical sexual health information, and contain scientific errors," Smith continued.

Examples of false, misleading and distorted messages included in the curricula used in Ohio are:

Choosing the Best PATH claims that condoms are ineffective in preventing pregnancy 15% of the time during the first year of use, and concludes that, "This means that over a period of five years, there could be a 50% chance or higher of getting pregnant with condoms used as a birth control method." This inaccurately suggests that failure rates are cumulative. In fact, when used consistently and correctly, condoms are 98% effective in preventing pregnancy.
Me, My World, My Future compares condoms to a game of Russian Roulette, implying that not only is there a high failure rate, but that condom use can also lead to death.
Sex Respect student workbook states, "Deep down, you know that your friend's plunging necklines and short skirts are getting the guys to talk about her. Is that what you want? To see girls drive guys hormones when a guy is trying to see her as a friend. A guy who wants to respect girls is distracted by sexy clothes and remembers her for one thing. Is it fair that guys are turned on by their senses and women by their hearts?"
LifeWay Christian resources focuses on virginity pledges for students as well as "following God's plan for purity." It uses the True Love Waits program that asks students to pledge, "Believing that true love waits, I make the commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to a lifetime of purity including sexual abstinence from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship."

Since 1982, the U.S. government has spent over a billion dollars on unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Of that billion, $620 million dollars has been spent in just the last seven years and under the leadership of President Bush, there has been a continued expansion of investment in these curricula by allocating nearly $168 million in FY 2005 alone. The president is seeking $206 million for FY 2006. No abstinence-only-until-marriage program has yet to be proven effective in reducing teen pregnancy or the spread of STDs.

In FY 2004, Ohio received more than $8 million in federal tax-payer dollars and ranked 4th in the nation on dollars expended for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. These programs have been implemented in 85 of Ohio's 88 counties.

"Case Western should be applauded for releasing this important document that demonstrates to the Ohio tax payers and all Americans exactly what their money is buying - programs that promote inaccurate, negative, and potentially harmful messages to young people with respect to their sexual health," Smith said.

"Our young people deserve better than the extremism of half truths and lies. These programs are outside mainstream American values and are not supported by the vast majority of Americans," Smith said. "Yet, the U.S. Congress continues to appropriate more money and the Bush Administration has made them a centerpiece of its domestic agenda. SIECUS urges Ohio's Representative Regula and the other Members of the House of Representatives who are appropriating money for these programs later this week to pay close attention to the latest report and stop funding these harmful programs," Smith continued.

View the report in its entirety.

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