1 in 4 Teenage Girls

One out of four teenage American girls--that's something like 3.2 million. That's a lot of girls. So what do these teenage girls have in common? Well, according to a study released on March 11, one out of four teenage American girls have at least one sexually transmited disease. According to a news story on the website of the Boston Globe, the study tested its subjects for the 4 most common STD's. The study showed that of those infected, 15% had more than one disease. Because many of those infected showed no symptoms at the time of testing, many of those who have an STD do not even realize they have it and that they are passing it along to their sexual partners.

This information is both sad and alarming. One of the researchers said, "This means that far too many young women are at risk for the serious health effects of untreated STDs, including infertility and cervical cancer." Well, it is alarming that all of these girls are at risk for serious health issues. Having sex with multiple partners exposes a person to some serious health issues. When teenage girls and boys (the study didn't include boys, but obviously the same applies to them) have sex before marriage they put themselves at great risk that may affect them, their future spouses, and potentially their children. It is alarming that so many young girls are infected with STD's; but that is not the most alarming thing. Obviously, for a person to contract a sexually transmitted disease, he or she must be sexually active. The consequences of violating God's laws are serious. Physical disease is a problem, but the most alarming thing is to see how many young girls (and obviously boys as well) are sexually active. Society nearly forces sex on our kids at the youngest of ages. From sex ed classes in the earliest of grades to the sexually explicit movies and song lyrics that are popular today, kids' minds are being permeated with sex. And obviously the message is having its effect.

So what's the solution? According to a doctor from the CDC, "efforts must be made to improve screening, education, and other prevention strategies for sexually active teens." Do you see the problem in the thinking here? Do we need efforts to improve screening and education? Obviously so. But look at what he said in the last part of his assessment. We need efforts to improve prevention strategies for sexaully active teens. Call me simplistic in my thinking, but if teens are sexually active, they will be at risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Do you want to know the best strategy for preventing teens from contracting sexually transmitted diseases? Teach them not to be sexually active. The logic is insurmountable. If teens don't have sex they won't get STD's.

But you see, there's the problem. No one in a position of influence and authority in this nation seems to want to teach kids that sex outside of marriage is wrong. Those who do try to promote this idea are ridiculed as being out of touch with reality. "Kids are going to have sex," we're told. Well of course they are going to have sex when all they see and hear is saturated with sexuality and then no one ever tells them it's wrong. Regardless of how unpopular it is, we have to get back to teaching our kids what is right and wrong about sex. There are much more serious consequences at stake than STD's.