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Sunday, July 14, 2002In the last five years, the percentage of HIV-infected girls aged 15 to 19 decreased from 28 percent to 15 percent. Zambia and Uganda are the only countries in sub-Saharan Africa to see a measurable decrease in new infection rates. The reason the rates have gone down: A survey of youth aged 13 to 19 found that many decided to remain abstinent directly due to television and radio advertisements produced by young people. The TV advertisements showed teen-age girls singing about the benefits of setting goals in education and holding onto the power of choosing whether to have sex. Some ads promoted condom use. The ads ran from 1998 to 2000, but were taken off the air because of controversy over one segment that showed girls telling their boyfriends, ''No condom, no sex.'' Only last week, after 20 months without the prevention ads, the government allowed them back on the air - but only after signing off on the content. Yes, the ads did mention condoms as well as abstinence, but it’s noteworthy that the teens surveyed said they chose abstinence based on the ads. It’s always frustrating to hear people dismiss the idea of promoting abstinence as if it has no value at all, like this activist from Brazil: ''Millions and millions of young people are having sexual relations,'' said Paolo Teizeira, director of Brazil's AIDS program. ''We cannot talk about abstinence. It's not real. This is a big and very risky initiative.'' He seems to think that we are like animals, with no ability to control our impulses. The truth is that if presented in the right way, the message of abstinence can get through, and the advantages it provides far exceed the reduction of sexually transmitted diseases. As an added bonus, you get fewer teenage pregnancies, fewer single mothers, fewer families dependent on government aid, and more young women who pursue higher education. Promoting abstinence sends the message to young women that they don’t have to rely on their sexuality for self-esteem. It’s a win-win approach for society and for women. Why would anyone be opposed to that? posted by Sydney on 7/14/2002 08:19:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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