ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Sexuality Education and the 3Rs: A Call to Action

Welcome to this special section of Advocates' Web site—the 3Rs Campaign. Thissection of the site is dedicated to encouraging you—the youth-serving professional, health care provider, educator, parent, policymaker, and youth activist—to join with us in our efforts to change the way society deals with adolescent reproductive and sexual health. Come along with us and begin to create a society where sexuality is treated as a normal, healthy, positive aspect of life. Envision with us a time when adults do not demonize young people's sexual development, but view it instead as a natural and valuable part of growing up. Imagine a society that treats young people as partners—a society where knowledge and information about sex and sexuality is shared, not withheld.

Advocates for Youth firmly believes that such a society would no longer face three million new STIs among its teens each year. Nor would each year bring an additional 900,000 adolescent pregnancies or 6,000 new cases of HIV infection among youth aged 13-24—as is the case today in the United States.

Change Is Incremental

We, at Advocates for Youth, are not foolish enough to believe that such a major shift in societal attitudes is attainable in the near future. Yet, we recognize that it is only by challenging the status quo and reaching for incremental changes that we will be able to further improve adolescents' reproductive and sexual health.

We cannot accomplish real change without you! We must all speak out. We must challenge the belief that young people cannot make responsible decisions. "Respect young people's rights and they will act responsibly!"

Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Not Censorship

The values that underpin the 3Rs support a comprehensive approach to sexuality education, teaching young people to be aware that they have the right to sexual health information and services, to value and respect themselves and their bodies, and to make responsible decisions about sexuality. Failing to educate young people about sex does not produce successful outcomes. With incomplete or inaccurate information, or with no information at all, young people are more likely to make poor decisions that put them at risk.

Unfortunately, official policy in the United States supports abstinence-only-until-marriage education, an unrealistic, ineffectual effort receiving over $500 million in federal and state funding. Initiated in 1996 as part of welfare reform, the funds require that educators tell young people they will suffer "physical and psychological damage" if they have sexual intercourse before marriage. Those using these funds are prohibited from teaching young people about contraception or condoms, beyond discussing their failure rates. All states except California receive these funds.

Parents Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Yet, parents support comprehensive sexuality education. National surveys indicate that the overwhelming majority of American parents want their children to learn about both abstinence and contraception. Over 70 percent of Americans said they did not support abstinence-only-until-marriage education. Saving comprehensive sexuality education is the first issue we face in promoting Rights. Respect. Responsibility.^® as the best approach to adolescent reproductive and sexual health.

This site provides ideas, background information, materials, tips, and case studies to help you partner with us in this campaign to promote the 3Rs and to save comprehensive sexuality education. Together, we can begin to change the world in which our children are learning about themselves. Together, we can help them avoid too early childbearing and STIs, including HIV. Together, we can help them to grow into sexually healthy adults.

For additional information on the 3Rs campaign, click on the menu to the left. To become an organizational partner in this important initiative, contact Advocates for Youth.