Zogby International Poll:
Parents Prefer Abstinence Education 2 to 1
A poll was commissioned by NAEF in 2007. It was conducted through a nationwide telephone survey of 1,002 parents of children age 10-16 by Zogby International. The purpose of the poll was to determine the level of support for Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) Abstinence Education among parents. The results confirm that parents overwhelmingly support abstinence education as historically funded by Congress.
Most parents want their teens to be abstinent until they are married.
9 out of 10 parents agree that being sexually abstinent is best for their child's health and future. 8 in 10 "strongly agree."
Parents prefer Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) Abstinence Education over comprehensive sex education by a 2 to 1 margin.
Upon learning what Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) Abstinence Education actually teaches, 6 out of 10 parents prefer it to comprehensive sex education. Only 3 out of 10 prefer comprehensive.
At least 8 in 10 parents support the overall approach of Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) Abstinence Education.
They think public schools should emphasize promoting abstinence vs. encouraging contraceptive use.
At least 8 in 10 parents support the core tenets of Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) Abstinence Education:
- Developing healthy relationships improve their chances for a healthy future marriage.
- The benefits of renewed abstinence to sexually experienced students.
- Improving self-worth and self-control as means of reducing premarital sexual activity.
- How an unplanned pregnancy and/or STD can negatively affect a teen's future.
Most parents reject "comprehensive" sex education.
2 out of 3 parents think that the importance of the "wait to have sex" message ends up being lost when programs demonstrate and encourage the use of contraception.
9 out of 10 parents want teens to be taught about contraception in a manner that is consistent with the approach of Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) Abstinence Education.
9 out of 10 parents think teens should be taught how often condoms fail to prevent pregnancy based upon typical use. Over 9 out of 10 parents think that teens should be taught the limitations of condoms in preventing specific STDs.
Parents want more funding given to abstinence-centered education than to comprehensive sex education by a 3 to 1 margin.
6 out of 10 parents think more government funding should be given to abstinence education vs. comprehensive sex education. Only 2 out of 10 want more funding for comprehensive sex education.
Rasmussen Reports™ : 80% Say Parents Should Teach Their Children about Sex
Numerous surveys indicate that parents want their children to wait until they are married before they have sex. The U.S. Department of HHS released the most recent study of parental values on August 23, 2010. It showed “approximately 70% of parents surveyed are opposed to pre-marital sex both in general and for their own adolescents. This finding is consistent with results from previous public opinion surveys of parents on abstinence and abstinence messages.” In addition, surveys report that parents overwhelmingly support a sex education approach that places primary emphasis on the risk avoidance abstinence message. In fact, parents support the abstinence approach by a 2:1 margin over the CSE approach when they understand the differences between the two approaches.
The recent HHS survey of parents bolstered this support by reporting that parents favor their children receiving an abstinence message in a variety of community settings, including “at a place of worship (85%), a doctor's office or health center (85%), school (83%), and a community organization (71%).” When weighing in sex education classes, parents strongly prefer the SRA approach over the CSE approach, as follows: organization presented to their children in sex education (71%)." When weighing in on specific topics classes, parents strongly prefer the SRA approach over the CSE approach, as follows:
93% believe that sex education classes should include a discussion about the limitations of condoms in preventing specific STDs.
80% support the core teaching components of SRA programs, including developing healthy relationships to improve their chances for a healthy future marriage; the benefits of renewed abstinence for sexually experienced students; increasing self-worth and self-control as methods for reducing premarital sexual activity. Parents seem to recognize that the holistic nature of the conversation facilitates an understanding of vital skills that assist the student in not only avoiding risks associated with sexual activity, but with other important life skills, such as character development, decision-making skills, goal setting, and building healthy relationships.
90% prefer the SRA approach to contraceptive education, which presents teens with the realistic data of condom effectiveness and which includes the real-life limitations associated with condom usage. Most parents oppose sex education classes that promote and demonstrate condom usage.
60% of parents support more of their tax dollars funding SRA abstinence education rather than so-called comprehensive sex education.
HHS "National Survey of Adolescents and their Parents: Attitudes and Opinions about Sex and Abstinence"
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