That Happened!

New York - Recently there has been a boost in the popularity of abstinence rings, also known as promise rings.

Today’s youth have made gregarious efforts in making vows of abstinence. They show off their gleaming rings with a pride to their peers and whoever will listen.

One teen speaking to That Happened! said she decided to commit to abstinence after two of her friends made the decision last year.

“Me and my friends made the decision that sex is something we want to save until marriage. We proudly display our rings”

This jewelry is a mark of beauty and significant promise. Yet, studies show that half of those who make this oath do not stick by it. Youth ranging from seventh grade and up, who have made a vow of abstinence are just as likely to have sex before marriage as those who have not.

This study spanned three different years: 1995, 1996, 2001 and was taken from a group of eleven thousand students ranging in grades from seven to twelfth. Analysis of the results showed that not only were teens who vowed to be abstinent just as likely to have sex before marriage as those who didn’t; they were more likely to do it without protection. This has led to a heated debate about whether there needs to be more of a focus on sex education in the US instead of the focus on not having it at all.

The official argument is that our youth need to be educated in regards to the choices they are making. They need to be aware of the protection available to them whenever they decide to become sexually active. The opposing side states that educating them about the protection available is like giving them the go ahead that it is okay to have sex.

Unfortunately in the case of abstinence and the promise rings that showcase this, the idea has become more of a fad then an individual oath. Even celebrity role models for the youth today are sporting these ideas and rings, but their fans that follow in their footsteps do so more for the image than the goal. A new study is being conducted, using the same collection of data yet focusing on a different set of statistics. Researchers hope to delve a little deeper into this conflict.

“This study again raises the issue of why the federal government is continuing to invest in abstinence-only programs,” said Sarah Brown of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “What have we gained if we only encourage young people to delay sex until they are older, but then when they do become sexually active — and most do well before marriage — they don’t protect themselves or their partners?”

As to what happens while the vote is still out remains to be seen. It could prove beneficial for both sides to make a compromise and educate our teens about the value of being protected if they decide to have sex as well as the value of staying abstinent till marriage. Both sides could prove to be what is needed when used in combination. Educate teens towards both sides and allow them to form their own opinions.