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New name not a fix

Dylan Hennessy

The article “Sexual avoidance course returns to Minot” published on January 29 is prompting a program that has been proven by multiple studies to fail our children. Abstinence-only now has a new name: “sexual risk avoidance” – however, a new name doesn’t fix the fundamental problem.

Abstinence-only programs do not prepare young people for life and they do a poor job of preparing them to avoid sex. Comprehensive and medically accurate sex education works and decades of research show that a comprehensive approach to sex education–that includes information on condoms, contraception and abstinence–effectively delays sexual activity and increases condom and contraceptive use when young people do become sexually active.

Prevention begins with educating young people and giving them the tools they need to make healthy choices.

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