Study: 'Virginity Pledges' Are Ineffective

According to a study released earlier today, teenagers who have taken a "virginity pledge" are still just as likely to engage in premarital sex than those who have not pledged their abstinence. But worse than that, the study found that those same abstinence-swearing teenagers are far less likely to use a form of birth control - condoms, etc - when they do become sexually active.

The new analysis of data from a large federal survey found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge," but that the percentage who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for pledgers than for non-pledgers.

"Taking a pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior," said Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose report appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics. "But it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking."

Keep reading...

Comments

[StrayTalk]

12:10 PM on 01/03/2009

The only Pledge I know that works is made by S.C. Johnson

[pokemon]

03:45 AM on 01/03/2009

The best thing for this world is that the human race just remain virgins.

[lawrencelugar]

09:29 PM on 01/02/2009

This isn't really news.

People will have sex.
That's just that.

So use contraceptives, choose partners wisely, etc.
but don't act like it's not happening.

[pokemon]

09:06 PM on 01/01/2009

Anyone want to break their pledge?

[WoodrowH]

01:40 PM on 01/01/2009

I think virginity pledges are awesome and should be practiced. I do not see a more honorable thing a young person could do than to vow to take control of their own desires and passions. I know these pledges are not for everyone, because some people are just dishonorable. Any wise person knows that to be led by your passions is the gateway to hell. Passions and desires in and of themselves are not evil, but to let them go unchecked without Godly wisdom, & righteousness is a recipe for disaster. Don't believe me? Look at the world we live in today. Unfettered passion and desire will be the undoing of this society and world.

[pokemon]

03:44 AM on 01/03/2009

You sound sexy when you talk like that.

[JohnBisceglia]

08:15 AM on 01/01/2009

The Federal Govern-bank, I mean Government is sadly in need of a face-spanking.

Tax dollars are wasted on "faith-based" nonsense. Oh....and I'm still creeped out by the 66.6%.....or is it just me?

[FabulousAt52]

06:23 AM on 01/01/2009

... and then, Ladies and gentlemen, we have.....


THE DUGGARS!!

[OrangeWood]

10:29 PM on 12/31/2008

Virginity pledges don't work? Gee, what a funny coincidence.
The sobriety pledges that the Prohibitionists got everybody to sign didn't work either.

[copestir]

10:13 PM on 12/31/2008

Any of us that have felt passion and lust know that virginity pledges are a bust.

[strangerinthenight]

09:58 PM on 12/31/2008

12-years ago, a program like this was preached in my HS. It was laughable. Most were sexually active. When a classmate got pregnant, it was no big deal - even with the Pledge. When one disappears mid-school, she got pregnant.

My HS had programs for kid moms - they were given privileges, lighter assignments and get praised more than the average students, entitled for financial entitlements, attended classes on motherhood, trained how to feed the baby, change diapers etc. Some come back, then get pregnant again. Some did graduate HS.

Mom talked to me about the kid moms - the programs, or their entitlements were not really privileges. I understood. I was an average student. I know how bad the pressure is - much prestige to belong or be friends with the rah rah girls. I had boyfriends, but didn't get pregnant. Having a baby will dash my hope to go to college. Parties there, parties here, and parties everywhere. Alcohol was even more of a problem. If you are not a player, you will not be invited, so yeah, I sat home many Saturday nights. I had my share of losing boyfriends. But I got through. I had a better understanding of myself and I knew I'd be just fine. College was a breeze after that. The worst was missing my mom and dad, at least the first semester.

Pledge of Virginity is not working. I dont know what works. It's a miracle I got through High School in

[WoodrowH]

01:57 PM on 01/01/2009

It's not the pledge of virginity that has to work it the person pledging that has to make it work. A pledge is not a magic wand and is only as good as the person making the pledge. A person who is weak and lacks understanding cannot keep a pledge, because it requires character, dicipline, and integrity. The pledge must be based on the knowledge and understanding of the thing they are pledging about. before you can pledge to keep yourself sexually pure you must understand the destruction this world has suffered because of sexual immorality, and the influence satan has gained in peoples lives mainly because of sexual immorality. Before you pledge think about that.

[klmebane]

12:21 AM on 01/04/2009

"A pledge is not a magic wand and is only as good as the person making the pledge. A person who is weak and lacks understanding cannot keep a pledge, because it requires character, dicipline, and integrity."

perhaps we should make all people considering marriage accountable for breaking their vows, then. i mean, with a more than 50% divorce rate obviously the "til death do us part" piece of the vow isn't getting taken seriously. or fidelity, or honesty...

[majorteddy]

09:33 PM on 12/31/2008

It is kind of sexy to pledge to be a virgin, even if you're not. A lot of girls give oral and anal sex with the idea that this still maintains their virginity. More religious claptrap/

[msoverall]

09:04 PM on 12/31/2008

The reason that the pledgers usually get caught w/o birthcontrol (see Bristol Palin) is that being on the pill or carrying condoms would mean that you're thinking about having sex. We all know a good pledge and lots of prayer puts your hormones right under control (rolling eyes).

BTW- I'm a Christian and only simple, stupid people believe that pledges and prayer make you stop behaving like a human being. I want to know when being a Christian meant that you checked your brains at the door, God wants his people to be the head and not the tail, meaning he doesn't expect you to be a fool. He also gave us free will to make our own choices and good Christians respect the choices of others, you don't have to agree with them but you respect them.

[WoodrowH]

05:02 PM on 01/01/2009

What's your idea of being a human being? you're a christian, right? What if Jesus says: "If you love your life you will lose it, if you hate your life you will find it". What is he saying: Give in to your desires and passions because you're only human? No way. He's letting you know that the pathway to righteousness is not based on what you think is right but on what he said is right. Man should not live by bread alone. The Lord God is creator of all things and he is just. He set things up so that good will prevail and it will. he knows all things. We have yet to learn, Even with all the advances made in science they pale in comparison to the wisdom of God. The earth is merely a micro dot compared with the vastness of the universe. The question isn't how much we know, but how much do we not know. do you know? I bet not. You don't know what you don't know. We need Gods' guidance or we will be off course. Or, should I say the reason people are off course is because they don't heed Gods' guidance and direction. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life but few ever find it because they are too full of pride and arrogance to recieve the simple truth.

[ObjectiveRealist]

08:25 PM on 12/31/2008

I'm just shocked to learn that people who have more information make better choices than people whose "role models" try to manipulate them with myth-based indoctrination. Who could have guessed?

[DarkWitch]

12:37 PM on 01/01/2009

We often find that their "role models" are preaching purity while practicing the opposite. That's where the problems lies. Kids are not stu.pid. "Do what I say, not what I do" has never worked and it's not going to start working now. I think it was Einstein who said (paraphrased) doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is crazy.

Instead of preaching to the kids, start trying to act right. It makes a difference when they think you are trying, when they see you're ready to admit when you make mistakes and try to be a better person and parent for them. When they know you're ready to guide them instead of judge them, you get to see a lot more of their lives. The kids aren't the only ones who need to grow in the parent/child relationship.

[T Pol]

07:52 PM on 12/31/2008

Love the picture of the girls whose rings say "purity" while their manner of dress and posturing says, "Come and get me."

Can you say, "Mixed message"?

It's not that "fashionable" gals cannot also say "no," or scantily dressed clad girls can't say "no" -- of course they can. And boys should be taught that "no" MEANS "no." But do not try to market a concept this way. Also, where are the boys with the purity rings in this picture? I see none.

Teach kids to be sensible as a habit so it will kick in when they are in the throes of hormones. Sensible means protection of all types. Abstinence only is a joke. And the reason there's less frequent use of birth control and disease protection is they go in thinking, well, I won't do it. Then they do. Whereas those who are prepared that it might happen are, well, prepared for when it does.

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

07:36 PM on 12/31/2008

Just say "H" "O"

[Egalitare]

12:02 AM on 01/01/2009

LOL!!