Choosing Abstinence

Unit 6:6
Mrs. Ngawaka
Does it seem like your friends are
starting to talk about sex?

 This
is a different answer for everyone.
 Some would say YES
 Some would say NO
 Some would say KIND OF
Do you think more teens these
days choose abstinence or not?
Why?

Abstinence
or
Risks
The truth is more teens your age
choose...

Abstinence
Some change for the good

 Teens are waiting longer to have sex

than they did in the recent past. In
2006–2008, some 11% of never-
married females aged 15–19 and 14%
of never-married males in that age-
group had had sex before age 15,
compared with 19% and 21%,
respectively, in 1995
What is abstinence?

 Choosing to refrain from something.

– Drugs
– Alcohol
– Sexual Activity
What are some consequences of
failing to be abstinent?

Physical...
 831,000 pregnancies occur each year among
persons aged 15 ﾐ 19 years. 7% of all teens will
become pregnant as a teen.
 9.1 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases
occur each year among persons aged 15 ﾐ 24 years
 ½ of all sexually active people will have an STD by
age 25
 An estimated 4,842 cases of HIV/AIDS occur
annually among persons aged 15 ﾐ 24 years...
What are some consequences of
failing to be abstinent?

Emotional...
 More likely to experience regret.
 Two-thirds of sexually experienced teens
wish they had waited longer to have sex.
 Teen girls who had sex, took drugs,
and/or started drinking were up to three
times more likely to be depressed a
year later than girls who did not take
those risks.
What are advantages to
abstinence?
 More self respect and respect for others
 Greater chance of faithfulness in marriage.
 Better relationships
 Freedom from memories or regrets
 Don’t have to worry about
– STD’s
– Pregnancy
– Getting hurt
– Feeling used
– Loosing self esteem
What are benefits for waiting
until you are married?
Why are teens sexually active?

 Physical/Emotional Gratification
 Identity formation
 Peer pressure
 Response to stress or abuse
 Rebellion
 Substance abuse
 Curiosity
Why do teens choose not to be
sexually active?
 Religious views/morals (#1 reason)
 Avoid STD’s
 Avoid Pregnancy
 Avoid Guilt
 Wait until married
Do the following factors make
you more likely to be sexually
active at a young age or less
likely?

Thumbs up for more likely

Thumbs down for less likely.

 Drugs and Alcohol
– MORE
 Girls participating in sports?
– LESS
 Doing well in school?
– LESS
 Teens who have been sexually abused
– MORE
 Attending religious services of some
kind.
– LESS
How can we achieve the goal of
abstinence?
 Make good habits
 Identify ways to show caring
 Avoid bad situations
 Set your goal early
 Recognize any problems you are
having early and fix them.
 Communicate with those you date
Assignment
 You are going to write a letter to YOU in the
year 2011. It’s a letter to the future you. Your
letter is going to be regarding your hopes,
knowledge, and advice for your choice to be
abstinent. Include your future goals, plan to
reach those goals, how you feel about
yourself, choices you hope you’ve made,
advice for how to keep it up, a reminder of
why you think the choice to remain abstinent
is important.
 Introduction
– Hey this is ... And I’m writing you from Mrs.
Ngawaka’s class in 2013. Explain why you’re
writing
– Talk a little about your present Life
 Explanation
– Talk about future goals and plan to reach them
– Choices you hope you’ve made
– How consequences of sex could affect your goals
– Advice on how to avoid sexual activities.
– How you feel about yourself and why you deserve
to be abstinent and be free from worries.
 Last word
– Explain why you think abstinence is important.
Grading
 Points...30
 Turn it into the basket and I will correct it and
give it back to you by Friday.
 Grading...
A... Ideas are well explained. Letter contains
interesting details and thought. No Grammatical
Errors
B... Ideas are explained but lack detail. Few
grammatical errors.
C... Ideas are present but not explained well.
Several grammatical Errors
D.. Relatively few ideas. Several grammatical errors.