2007 Abstinence Essay Contest 3rd Place

Abbi Davis is presented with 3rd place by Rovonda Freeman of the Wayne County Health Department Health Education Program.

She received a signed Certificate of Excellence, $300 scholarship, $50.00 gift certificate to Berkeley Mall, $5.00 gift certificate coupon booklet to McDonald’s, and a “I’m Worth Waiting For” T-Shirt (from the Wayne Council on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention)

Abstinence

Why has sexual intercourse become the answer to the problems of teenage girls and boys? Why is it the only way to say I love you for these teenagers and the only way they think they can feel those three words? Today, more and more teens are turning to sex instead of stopping to think of the other options as well as the consequences of not choosing abstinence. Teens today need to realize that not only is abstinence the only sure way to keep from becoming a very young mom or dad, but it is also the only way to ensure that they and their future children, once they are mature enough to have them, lead healthy, happy lives. According to a Naples News report, a 2003 US poll stated that "one in five children admitted to having sex before they turned fifteen.”¹ That is a sad and scary fact is it not. There is only one way to change this. We, as a society, must inform our teens that there is one healthy way to avoid the problems as well as that they are loved. That love must be shown and felt by teens, however, not just verbalized.

So many teens today have the "not me" philosophy. They feel that it cannot happen to them so why worry about what statistics say? If teens realized how likely it does happen, they just might think twice. So many tests have come out that back the astounding facts of teenage pregnancy. One that was most devastating was a poll from 2003 published by the Naples News that states that "one of every seven girls that admitted to having sex before they were fourteen
ended up pregnant.”¹ Sure those girls thought, that cannot happen to me, but it did, and what about the fathers? If that many girls were getting pregnant, then many boys were becoming fathers. The lives of both the boy and girl in that couple will forever be affected. Forever there will be a child that is a part of both parents, and there will be a child that someone other than the actual parents has to raise because the birth parents are incapable. In most cases, the boy is able to go on with his life pretty much close to normal, but a girl will never truly have a life again. Still, that boy will know in the back of his head that he is a father and will never be able to live his life the same. No matter what, both parents of the child will always be affected by that baby.

For those teens that think they are being safe by using condoms as well as birth control, they may stop pregnancy, but neither one have proven to protect anyone from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or AIDS. Each of these diseases may lead to either serious life altering conditions or death. Another poll found that in the US, "15.3 million people are diagnosed each year with an STD, but out of that proportion, nearly a fourth are teen."² Part of that "not me" philosophy somehow makes them not care, but then once these children do grow of age and marital status that allows them to be emotionally and financially be able to raise a child, what does that child have to face? STDs are genetic; therefore the child will also have the disease without doing anything at all. Forever that child will be punished for the mistakes made by the parents. Children that have STDs will have problems all their life and could one day pass
it along to someone else they love no matter how responsible they have been.

Where is all this sex coming from? A lack of love. Love is what is missing for these kids. They want to feel loved and to know what it is like to love so badly. They have never known such a feeling, and that feeling of love is all they have ever longed for. So few truly understand what love is, therefore they are sucked in when someone says "we have sex because we are in love." This false claim is throwing them for a loop and is unfair. Love would never pressure anyone into anything they did not want to do, and it especially would not put you at the risk of a disease. If only the adults in relationship with these youth would step up. Show the youth what true love is by being an example and allowing the
youth to feel loved. If they knew love, they would not be fooled by false statements that lead to negative actions.

Teenagers need help! They need to have constant communication so that they realize all their options. If teens really knew how many people had STDs and how many teens were getting pregnant, maybe they would believe it a little.
Teens need to truly understand all the many long term consequences of promiscuity and just maybe it would become a reality for them and they would realize other choices are better, much safer, and lead to much happier lives. All
these teens need is a whole lot of love and a little bit of guidance. With this help, there is no telling the change we could see not only in the teenagers of today, but as well as the teenagers of tomorrow!

1. Zeitlin, Janine. "Teen birth rate in U.S. still alarming." Naplesnews.com Monday, June 26,2006 03/23/07 http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jun/26/juanita_day_2_sidebar/?local_news

2. NAIAD, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases Statida, NlAID Fact Sheet: NIAID ." Wrong Diagnosis 1998 03/23/07 http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/artic/sexually_transmitted_diseases_statistics_niaid_fact_sheet_niaid.htm