The Obama administration pulled all the funding from abstinence education programs, despite mounds of under reported research that these programs were effective, in favor of a comprehensive, condom education/distribution, approach. It would make sense then, to examine the main focus of the comprehensive approach: condoms. The question should then become, do condoms work? If we are going to spend millions distributing condoms, are they effective in reducing disease transmission?
A good place to start would be the CDC. They have millions in their budget to test and study condom effectiveness. What do they have to say on the matter? This directly from the CDC site: “Consistent and correct use of the male latex condom reduces the risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency (HIV) transmission. However, condom use cannot provide absolute protection against any STD. The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STD s are to abstains from sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner” Please remember that this statement is taken word for word, directly form their site.
There is a lot in this statement. Let’s take it apart in bits. Let’s look at the beginning, “Consistent and correct use”. In order for teens to receive any risk reduction form condoms they have to use them consistently and correctly. I used to teach academically gifted students. It was very difficult to get them to do anything complex consistently and correctly. This is not to say they were unintelligent, but anyone who has actually worked with teenagers knows that consistency in any positive behavior is difficult for them. Abstinence does not require the memorization of the steps for proper condom use. It is a mindset, not a complex behavior. Let’s move on.
If our sexually active teens are consistent and correct in their condom use, what to they get? They get risk reduction, not elimination. Look at the wording of the statement form the CDC. “Consistent and correct use of the male latex condom reduces the risk of sexually transmitted disease.” Reduction is not elimination. This disconnect is very apparent amongst the American teen population. Most think condoms will keep them “safe”. Yet safe implies complete avoidance or elimination of risk. That is NOT what the research and the CDC say condoms do. They do not eliminate risk, they reduce it. How much they reduce risk would be the topic of another paper. Let’s continue to look at the statement.
The next sentence is loaded, “However, condom use cannot provide absolute protection against any STD” The key words here are “cannot” and “any”. After years of research, multiple studies, and millions spent on condom research and distribution, the CDC cannot name one STD that condoms provide complete protection from. Wow. So, we could phrase the first two sentences by saying, “Consistent and correct condom use will reduce the risk of contracting some deceases however, condoms can not absolutely protect against any of them.”
The comedy and irony comes in with the last sentence of the CDC statement, “The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STD s are to abstain form sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. So the CDC promotes abstinence as the most reliable way to avoid transmission of STD s. But wait, there is more. You can also avoid infection by being in a “mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner”. Let me see, “mutually monogamous relationship.” Gee, that sounds a lot like marriage.
Now here is the disconnect. The most powerful, well funded health organization on the planet states that condoms only offer risk reduction and points to abstinence and marriage as the most effective way to avoid disease. And the current administration is putting all its money behind condom distribution. The facts and research show condoms only offer reduction and we’re pushing condoms. Is it just me? Next paper: how much do condoms reduce risk?
Keith Deltano is a energeticabstinence speaker that uses interactive comedy to reach out and connect with students. He is one of the nations most requested abstinence speakers .
