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NEW!  CDC Finds Most Teens are Virgins, Contrary to Planned Parenthood

NEW!  EXPLICIT SEX ED IN HELENA, MONTANA

NEW!  BOYS NEED AN INTACT HOME

NEW!  HOW PORN DAMAGES RELATIONSHIPS

NEW!  VIRTUE IS THE HALLMARK OF A TRUE GENTLEMAN

College Students on Dating vs. Hooking Up

NEW!  Fast Fact of the Month

What's LOVE Got To Do With It?

Slave Master: How Pornography Changes Your Brain / Addicted to Porn

Commentary: Cohabitation: Good Idea, or a Marriage Killer?

Parents Outraged at Planned Parenthood Class Teaching Sexual Positions

DATE!  August 12, 2010: Austin LifeGuard & The Medical Institute Clinical Intervention Seminar

Importance of Parent-Teen Connectedness

THE INFLUENCE OF CHARACTER AND CONFIDENCE ON TEEN SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
    --Confidence as a Predictor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth    

    --Character as a Predictor of Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth: A Systematic Review

RESOURCE!  Parent Resource Package

Fast Fact of the Month

Analysis: Childhood Family Structure Linked to Rate of Female Homosexuality / It's Nurture, Not Nature

PEW VS. THE PILL: Fifty years of The Pill has counter-intuitively resulted in more unplanned pregnancies, rather than less

GAMBLING WITH YOUR SEX LIFE - THE PILL

WHAT THE PILL DID...

IT'S SEX O'CLOCK IN AMERICA  by Raquel Welch

A “YOU’RE TEACHING MY CHILD WHAT?!” MOMENT IN ONTARIO

GENERATION SCOLD: WHY MILLENNIALS ARE SO JUDGMENTAL ABOUT PROMISCUITY

THE UNEXPECTED ADDICT: WOMEN AND PORN

INTENTIONAL PARENTING: TEACHING HEALTHY SEXUALITY

TEXAS OP-ED TAKES HONEST LOOK AT ABSTINENCE MESSAGE

I'M WORTH WAITING FOR TATTOOS

PSYCHOLOGIST: SEXUAL LYRICS ENCOURAGE GIRLS TO EXPERIMENT

THE PILL AT 50: SEX, FREEDOM, AND PARADOX

WASHINGTON TIMES: STDs ARE PANDEMIC IN US

LEGISLATION PROPOSES U.S. SUPPORT FOR UNHEALTHY SEX ED

More New Moms Unmarried, Older

RESOURCES! Online Directory of Abstinence Resources

Here Today, Gonorrhea Tomorrow...

THE QUIET REVOLUTION ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

FORMER WILD CHILD SAYS TO RAISE AGE OF CONSENT

SO MUCH MORE THAN SEXY

UNPROTECTED...

CDC Finds Most Teens are Virgins, Contrary to Planned Parenthood Stats
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a new study last month showing that most teens are virgins – which American Life League (ALL) has said contradicts propaganda disseminated by sex-education giant Planned Parenthood.

"This study has huge significance for our nation's public and even private schools - many of whom have been regurgitating Planned Parenthood's dangerously inaccurate sex-education curriculum," said Judie Brown, president of ALL.

In the 2006-2008 period, 58% of never-married teen girls and 57% of never-married teen boys between the ages of 15 and 19 reported that they had never had sexual intercourse.

The numbers did not substantially change since a similar report was released in 2002. The reason most often cited for abstaining was that pre-marital sex is "against religion or morals."

ALL says that the CDC report, entitled “Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Child Bearing, National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG),” [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_024.pdf] debunks Planned Parenthood's constant mantra that most teens will not abstain.

In particular the pro-life organization points to the words of Planned Parenthood Federation of America vice president of medical affairs, Vanessa Cullins, from a YouTube video directed toward teens: "Admit that you are a sexually active individual like most of us, and that you are going to have sex and that you need to take precautions in order to stay healthy."

ALL says that the report builds a solid case against Planned Parenthood's promotion of sex education devoid of morality or religious influence – except for the “secular humanism” espoused by Planned Parenthood.

The report also revealed that "the vast majority of never married teenagers had not had intercourse in the month before the survey (76% of females and 79% of males, unchanged from 2002.)"

The number of "sexually experienced" teens peaked in 1988 at 51%. 

The steady decline in sexually active teens coincides with the popularity and availability of abstinence education in the 1990s and into the 2000s.

Entire 87 page report: Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Child Bearing, National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) -- http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_024.pdf
[14 July 2010, Washington, D.C., http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_024.pdf ; http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jul/10071404.html ]

EXPLICIT SEX ED IN HELENA, MONTANA (Warning: Graphic Content)
If you want your first-grader to learn about same-sex attraction and your sixth-grader to "understand that sexual intercourse includes but is not limited to vaginal, oral, or anal penetration; using the penis, fingers, tongue or objects," you’re gonna love the health curriculum under consideration in Helena, Montana.

Not all parents want their children exposed to such explicit material, however, and some expressed shock and anger: “Why do some feel the need to sexualize children at such a young age? That is sick and wrong. Children need to be protected in our society, not subjected to things they have no need to know at such a young age. Let parents decide. No wonder home schooling is on the rise. “
(http://www.krtv.com/news/helena-schools-draft-sex-ed-document-causing-controversy/?sms_ss=email; http://helenair.com/news/opinion/article_a85ac570-7cf5-11df-bf7c-001cc4c002e0.html)
[JUL 12, 2010, abstinence.net]

BOYS NEED AN INTACT HOME
Newly-published Finnish data demonstrates once again the strong correlation between broken families and later emotional and conduct problems. The researchers state that boys were almost five times more likely to suffer “adverse outcomes of all types, criminal, psychiatric, and functional, in young adulthood.”
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17712238) [JUL 12, 2010, abstinence.net]

HOW PORN DAMAGES RELATIONSHIPS
Peter Kleponis, marriage and family therapist, gives practical and faith-based advice on overcoming the dangers of porn in a new DVD detailing the story of a group of men who closed down a strip club in their neighborhood. He warns that “the women [men] see in pornography don't have feelings, needs and opinions.

When the men leave their fantasy world and meet a real woman who does have emotions and opinions, they often don't know how to deal with her, and withdraw due to insecurity or overreact in anger.”
(http://www.zenit.org/article-29697?l=english) [JUL 12, 2010, abstinence.net]

VIRTUE IS THE HALLMARK OF A TRUE GENTLEMAN
My husband and I recently attended our son's induction into the National Honor Society. We were pleasantly treated to an evening whereby male virtue was showcased!

A young man started the evening by playing a moving solo on the cello. Next, the male principal recited a poem entitled "The True Gentleman" -- it appears at the end of this article. Then, a high school graduate -- also a man -- talked to the new Honor Society Inductees about virtue.

The theme of his talk was the need to sacrifice and work together for the common good. He told the audience that this was especially important today given the lack or trust in government and neighbor alike.

Finally, the inductee roll call was given by this year's NHS president -- a young male --- who personified the virtues of knowledge, character, and service. It was refreshing to hear the theme of virtue repeated over and over again by young and old men.

That event perfectly introduces the definition of a true man.
Simply put, he sacrifices and works for the common good of his family. But he is far more than that!

According to John Walter Wayland, who wrote in 1899, a true gentleman has many great characteristics but especially upholds honor and virtue -- not in a sissified way but in a manly kind of way ...

This man uses Natural Family Planning for the good of his wife, future children, himself, and society.
This man is personified in all our husbands and sons who love God first and then family more than self.
A true gentleman attends to others who need his attention and help.
Finally, he loves others as he wants to be loved.

On behalf of all grateful wives, we want to thank our husbands for being this type of man! We consider you especially heroic because we know that you live and work daily for us! We also realize that you work within a world that all too often only scoffs at godly virtue... We know that you are true gentlemen:

[July/August 2010, Family Foundations, "Imagining the Possibilities", Linda Kracht, Chairman,CCLI; www.ccli.org]

College Students on Dating vs. Hooking Up

Recently, researchers have documented the phenomenon of "hooking up" on college campuses in the United States and how it is replacing traditional dating as the primary form of romantic interaction between the two sexes.1

A "hook up" is characterized by a sexual encounter, usually occurring between people who just met or are casual acquaintances, for which there is no expectation of future commitment. This is in contrast to dating, a more formal process, in which one person asks another person to accompany them on "a date" and generally includes the possibility of developing a relationship.1

Bradshaw and colleagues undertook a study on the perceived benefits and risks of dating and hooking up reported by each gender as well as a preference for one over the other.1 A convenience sample of 221 undergraduate students from a public university in the southern US rated their preference for hooking up or dating in 11 different situations. The participants also chose the top 3 benefits and top 3 risks for traditional dating as well as for hooking up.

The results of the study showed that over 95% of women and 77% of men preferred dating to hooking up. However, both male and female participants had experienced, on average, almost twice the number of hook ups as first dates in the past 2 years.

Both male and female participants indicated several situations in which they would prefer dating over hooking up, including: "having a friend or new acquaintance that they could see themselves in a relationship with"; "being interested in a long term relationship with someone"; and, "meeting someone with an amazing personality."

The majority of participants preferred hooking up to dating if they were consuming alcohol with an attractive person.

On the other hand, they preferred traditional dating if they were not consuming alcohol.

Participants were aware of some risks of hooking up. About 2/3 of the participants reported STDs and 1/3 reported pregnancy as a risk of hooking up.

Other responses to perceived risks revealed differences between male and female participants. A quarter of the women indicated that "wanting a relationship after a hookup and your partner feeling otherwise" was one of the greatest risks.

Similarly, almost a fifth of the women indicated that "getting emotionally attached" was another risk of hooking up. In contrast, over a quarter of the men indicated that "your partner wanting a relationship or getting attached" was one of the greatest risks.

The study is limited due to its small sample size and restricted geographical and demographic focus. The sample size was small and included undergraduate White students from one public university. Hence, the sample is not representative of the entire young adult population in the US. Young adults who are not students or are older may have very different views and behaviors than those included in this and other similar research.

Regardless of these limitations, this research offers insight into the relationship attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of college-aged youth.

First, if hooking up is more common than dating as a heterosexual interaction on college campuses, then these students are at risk of negative outcomes. Multiple partners and casual sex are associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted infections and emotional consequences, such as regret and shame.2,3 Both the physical and emotional consequences of hooking up could change a young person's life forever.

Second, the role of alcohol in encouraging hook ups over dating points to a worrisome pattern of risky behavior. Indeed, alcohol consumption can lower inhibitions that a person would normally feel while hooking up.

Lastly, even though young adults, especially women, prefer dating to hooking up, they are hooking up more often than dating. In doing so, they are putting themselves at risk for the physical and emotional consequences discussed above, as well as unwanted sexual activity, as reported in other studies.2,4

It is important for youth, parents, and educators to understand the prevalence and risks of hooking up.

Not only is this behavior becoming a norm among youth, it may be taking precedence over interactions that have traditionally been stepping stones to stable long-term relationships.

Parents and educators can make a huge difference in the lives of children by informing them of the risks of casual sex.

So, encourage our youth to aim for a bright future by making the healthiest choices during their transition to adulthood.

References:
1. Bradshaw C, Kahn AS, Saville BK. To hook up or date: which gender benefits? Sex Roles 2010;62:661-669.
2. Paul EL, Hayes KA. The casualties of "casual" sex: a qualitative exploration of the phenomenology of college students' hookups. J Soc Pers Relat 2002;19:639-661.
3. Eshbaugh EM, Gute G. Hookups and sexual regret among college women. J Soc Psychol 2008;148:77-89.
4. Flack WF, Daubman KA, Caron ML, et al. Risk factors and consequences of unwanted sex among university students: hooking up, alcohol, and stress response. J Interpers Violence 2007;22:139-157.
 [June 2010 e-newsletter, Medical Institute for Sexual Health]

Fast Fact of the Month
When college students in a 2008 study were asked if they would say they had "had sex" after having oral-genital contact, fewer than 20% said they would.

This is in contrast to studies in 1991 and 1999-2001 when about 40% of college students surveyed said they would describe oral-genital contact as having "had sex."

Source: Hans JD, Gillen M, Akande K. Sex redefined: the reclassification of oral-genital contact. Perspect Sex Reprod Health 2010;42(2):74-78.
 [June 2010 e-newsletter, Medical Institute for Sexual Health]

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?
This newly-released Australian study looked at over 2,000 couples, both married and cohabiting, and found that living together and having children without marriage were correlated with higher risk of break ups. Parents who grew up in broken homes were also more likely to divorce. [28 June 2010, http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10062305.html ; 29 June 2010, Abstinence Clearinghouse e-newsletter, www.abstinence.net]

SLAVE MASTER: HOW PORNOGRAPHY CHANGES YOUR BRAIN
by Donald Hilton, MD
[A neurosurgeon’s powerful overview of the physical mechanics of porn addiction and its alarming effects on the foundations of our culture:
Similarly, pornography is a triple hook, consisting of cortical hypofrontality, dopaminergic downgrading, and oxytocin/vasopressin bonding. Each of these hooks is powerful, and they are synergistic. Pornography sets its hooks very quickly and deeply, and as the addiction progresses, it progressively tightens the dopamine drag until there is no more play in the line.]

While some have avoided using the term “addiction” in the context of natural compulsions such as uncontrolled sexuality, overeating, or gambling, let us consider current scientific evidence regarding the brain and addiction.

This article will seek to answer two questions: (1) Biologically, is the brain affected by pornography and other sexual addictions? (2) If so, and if such addictions are widespread, can they have a societal effect as well?

The Story of the Gypsy Moth

Let’s begin with a seeming digression. In 1869 the gypsy moth was brought to America to attempt to jumpstart a silk industry. Rarely have good intentions gone so wrong, as the unforeseen appetite of the moth for deciduous trees such as oaks, maples, and elms has devastated forests for 150 years. Numerous attempts were made to destroy this pest, but a major breakthrough came in the 1960s, when scientists noted that the male gypsy moth finds a female to mate with by following her scent. This scent is called a pheromone, and is extremely attractive to the male.

In 1971 a paper was published in the journal Nature that described how pheromones were used to prevent the moths from mating. The scientists mass-produced the pheromone and permeated the moths’ environment with it. This unnaturally strong scent overpowered the females’ normal ability to attract the male, and the confused males were unable to find females. A follow-up paper described how population control of the moths was achieved by “preventing male gypsy moths from finding mates.”

The gypsy moth was the first insect to be controlled by the use of pheromones, which work by two methods. One is called the confusion method. An airplane scatters an environmentally insignificant number of very small plastic pellets imbedded with the scent of the pheromone. Then, as science journalist Anna Salleh describes it, “The male either becomes confused and doesn’t know which direction to turn for the female, or he becomes desensitized to the lower levels of pheromones naturally given out by the female and has no incentive to mate with her.”

The other method is called the trapping method: Pheromone-infused traps are set, from which moths cannot escape; a male moth enters looking for a female, only to find a fatal substitute.

Two Fallacies

What does this have to do with pornography? Pornography is a visual pheromone, a powerful, $100 billion per year brain drug that is changing human sexuality by “inhibiting orientation” and “disrupting pre-mating communication between the sexes by permeating the atmosphere,” especially through the internet. I believe we are currently struggling in the war against pornography because many continue to believe two key fallacies:

Fallacy No. 1: Pornography is not a drug.

Fallacy No. 2: Pornography is therefore not a real addiction.

As an illustration of Fallacy No. 1, consider the following statement by a Wall Street executive whose mainstream company discreetly profits from pornography: “I’m not a weirdo or a pervert, it’s not my deal. I’ve got kids and a family. But if I can see as an underwriter going out and making bucks on people being weird, hey, dollars are dollars. I’m not selling drugs. It’s Wall Street.”

Now consider both fallacies as elucidated in the following statement by an executive in the pornography industry:

    [T]he fact [is] that “drugs, booze and cigarettes” are all physical, chemical agents that are ingested and can indeed have measurable, harmful, addictive effects. The mere viewing of any type of subject matter hardly falls into this category and, in fact, belittles the very real battles that addicts face over drugs, booze and cigarettes—all of which can be lethal. No one ever died from looking at porn. While some compulsive types can be “addicted” to anything, such as watching a favorite television show, eating ice cream or going to the gym, nobody suggests that ice cream is akin to crack cocaine [remember that statement] and should be regulated to protect . . . people from themselves—instead, these compulsive actions are rightfully viewed by society as personality defects in the individual. . . .

Here I will review some of the science he refers to, and also discuss whether pornography is a “physical, chemical” agent, i.e., “a drug,” and also consider the latest research on natural brain rewards in deciding whether it is a true brain addiction.

Adrenaline Grass

First, I would like to share an experience our family had a few years ago on a safari in Africa. While on a game drive along the Zambezi River, our ranger commented on the adrenaline grass growing along the banks. I asked him why he used the word “adrenaline,” and he began to drive slowly through the grass. Abruptly, he stopped the vehicle and said, “There! Do you see it?”

“See what?” I asked. He drove closer, and this also changed the angle of the light.

Then I understood. A lion was hiding in the grass watching the river, just waiting for some “fast food” to come and get a drink.

We were sitting in an open-air Land Rover with no doors and no windows. I then understood why it was called adrenaline grass, as I felt my heart pound. My cerebral cortex saw and defined the danger, which registered in the autonomic, or automatic, part of my nervous system. The brain, which is a very efficient pharmaceutical lab, produced the chemical adrenaline, causing my heart to pound and race in preparation for survival. I was ready to run if needed (not that it would have done any good with the lion).

We were told that if we stayed in our seats and remained still, the lion would look at the Land Rover as a whole and not see us as individuals. Fortunately this was the case for us.

A Drug Is a Drug

Interestingly, adrenaline, also called epinephrine, is a drug we physicians use in surgery and in emergencies to start a patient’s heart again when it beats too slow, or even stops. So here is the question: Is epinephrine not a drug if the brain makes it (causing the heart to pound and race), yet is a drug if the same epinephrine is given by a physician?

Or consider dopamine. This chemical is a close cousin to epinephrine, both of which are excitatory neurotransmitters that tell the brain to Go! Dopamine is important in the parts of our brain that allow us to move, and when the dopamine-producing parts of the brain are damaged, Parkinson’s disease results. To treat Parkinson’s, physicians prescribe dopamine as a drug, and it helps the patient move again. So is dopamine a drug only if the pharmaceutical lab makes it, and not if the brain makes the same chemical for the same purpose?

Of course, both are drugs in every sense of the word, regardless of where they are produced. Pertinent to our subject, it happens that both of these brain drugs are very important in human sexuality—and in pornography and sexual addiction. Dopamine, in addition to its role in movement, is an integral neurotransmitter, or brain drug, in the pleasure/reward system in the brain.

Disruption of Dopamine

Let’s review some of the important components of the reward system of the brain. On the outside is the cerebral cortex, a layer of nerve cells that carry conscious, volitional thought. In the front, over the eyes, are the frontal lobes. These areas are important in judgment, and, if the brain were a car, the frontal lobes would be the brakes. These lobes have important connections to the pleasure pathways, so pleasure can be controlled.

In the center of the brain is the nucleus accumbens. This almond-sized area is a key pleasure reward center, and when activated by dopamine and other neurotransmitters, it causes us to value and desire pleasure rewards. Dopamine is essential for humans to desire and value appropriate pleasure in life. Without it, we would not be as incentivized to eat, procreate, or even to try to win a game.

It’s the overuse of the dopamine reward system that causes addiction. When the pathways are used compulsively, a downgrading occurs that actually decreases the amount of dopamine in the pleasure areas available for use, and the dopamine cells themselves start to atrophy, or shrink. The reward cells in the nucleus accumbens are now starved for dopamine and exist in a state of dopamine craving, as a downgrading of dopamine receptors on the pleasure cells occurs as well. This resetting of the “pleasure thermostat” produces a “new normal.” In this addictive state, the person must act out in addiction to boost the dopamine to levels sufficient just to feel normal.

As the desensitization of the reward circuits continues, stronger and stronger stimuli are required to boost the dopamine. In the case of narcotic addiction, the addicted person must increase the amount of the drug to get the same high. In pornography addiction, progressively more shocking images are required to stimulate the person.

Frontal Lobe Damage

As a feedback of sorts, the frontal lobes also atrophy, or shrink. Think of it as a “wearing out of the brake pads.” This physical and functional decline in the judgment center of the brain causes the person to become impaired in his ability to process the consequences of acting out in addiction. Addiction scientists have called this condition hypofrontality, and have noted a similarity in the behavior of addicted persons to the behavior of patients with frontal brain damage.

Neurosurgeons frequently treat people with frontal lobe damage. In a car crash, for instance, the driver’s brain will often decelerate into the back of his forehead inside his skull, bruising the frontal lobes. Patients with frontal lobe damage exhibit a constellation of behaviors we call frontal lobe syndrome. First, these patients are impulsive, in that they thoughtlessly engage in activities with little regard to the consequences. Second, they are compulsive; they become fixated or focused on certain objects or behaviors, and have to have them, no matter what. Third, they become emotionally labile, and have sudden and unpredictable mood swings. Fourth, they exhibit impaired judgment.

So cortical hypofrontality, or shrinkage of the frontal lobes, causes these four behaviors, and they can result from a car wreck or from addiction.

A study on cocaine addiction published in 2002 shows volume loss, or shrinkage, in several areas of the brain, particularly the frontal control areas. A study from 2004 shows very similar results for methamphetamine. But we expect drugs to damage the brain, so these studies don’t really surprise us.

Consider, though, a natural addiction, such as overeating leading to obesity. You might be surprised to learn that a study published in 2006 showed shrinkage in the frontal lobes in obesity very similar to that found in the cocaine and methamphetamine studies. And a study published in 2007 of persons exhibiting severe sexual addiction produced almost identical results to the cocaine, methamphetamine, and obesity studies. (Encouragingly, two studies, one on drug addiction [methamphetamine] and one on natural addiction [obesity] also show a return to more normal frontal lobe volumes with time in recovery.)

So we have four studies, two drug and two natural addiction studies, all done in different academic institutions by different research teams, and published over a five-year period in four different peer-reviewed scientific journals. And all four studies show that addictions physically affect the frontal lobes of the brain.

Addiction Is Addiction

I mentioned that the dopamine systems don’t work well in addiction, that they become damaged. This damage, as well as frontal lobe damage, can be shown with brain scans, such as functional MRI, PET, and SPECT scans. Recent brain scan studies have not only shown abnormalities in cases of cocaine addiction, but also in cases of pathologic gambling and overeating leading to obesity.

So non-biased science is telling us that addiction is present when there is continued destructive behavior in spite of adverse consequences. As stated in the journal Science, “as far as the brain is concerned, a reward’s a reward, regardless of whether it comes from a chemical or an experience.”

What about pornography and sexual addiction? Dr. Eric Nestler, head of neuroscience research at Mount Cedar Sinai in New York and one of the most respected addiction scientists in the world, published a paper in the journal Nature Neuroscience in 2005 titled “Is there a common pathway for addiction?” In this paper he said that the dopamine reward systems mediate not only drug addiction, but also “natural addictions (that is, compulsive consumption of natural rewards) such as pathological overeating, pathological gambling, and sexual addictions.”

The prestigious Royal Society of London, founded in the 1660s, publishes the longest-running scientific journal in the world, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. A recent issue devoted 17 articles to the current understanding of addiction. Interestingly, two of the articles were specifically concerned with natural addiction, pathologic gambling and overeating.

Frantic Learning

Drs. Robert Malenka and Julie Kauer, in a landmark paper in Nature in 2007 on mechanisms of the physical and chemical changes that occur in the brain cells of addicted individuals, said, “Addiction represents a pathological, yet powerful form of learning and memory.” We now call these changes in brain cells “long term potentiation” and “long term depression,” and speak of the brain as being plastic, or subject to change and re-wiring.

Dr. Norman Doidge, a neurologist at Columbia, in his book The Brain That Changes Itself, describes how pornography causes re-wiring of the neural circuits. He notes that in a study of men viewing internet pornography, the men looked “uncannily” like rats pushing the lever to receive cocaine in the experimental Skinner boxes. Like the addicted rats, the men were desperately seeking the next fix, clicking the mouse just as the rats pushed the lever.

Pornography addiction is frantic learning, and perhaps this is why many who have struggled with multiple addictions report that it was the hardest for them to overcome. Drug addictions, while powerful, are more passive in a “thinking” kind of way, whereas pornography viewing, especially on the internet, is a much more active process neurologically. The constant searching for and evaluating of each image or video clip for its potency and effect is an exercise in neuronal learning, limited only by the progressively rewired brain. Curiosities are thus fused into compulsions, and the need for a larger dopamine fix can drive the person from soft-core to hard-core to child pornography—and worse. A paper published in the Journal of Family Violence in 2009 revealed that 85 percent of men arrested for child pornography had also physically abused children.

Dehumanized Sexuality

In addition to cortical hypofrontality and downgrading of the mesolimbic dopaminergic systems, a third element appears to be important in pornography and sexual addiction. Oxytocin and vasopressin are important hormones in the brain with regard to physically performing sexually. Studies show that oxytocin is also important in increasing trust in humans, in emotional bonding between sexual mates, and in parental bonding. We are wired to bond to the object of our sexuality.

It is a good thing when this bonding occurs in a committed marriage relationship, but there is a dark side. When sexual gratification occurs in the context of pornography use, it can result in the formation of a virtual mistress of sorts. Dr. Victor Cline, in his essay, “Pornography’s Effects on Adult and Child,” describes this process as follows:

    In my experience as a sexual therapist, any individual who regularly masturbates to pornography is at risk of becoming, in time, a sexual addict, as well as conditioning himself into having a sexual deviancy and/or disturbing a bonded relationship with a spouse or girlfriend.

    A frequent side effect is that it also dramatically reduces their capacity to love (e.g., it results in a marked dissociation of sex from friendship, affection, caring, and other normal healthy emotions and traits which help marital relationships). Their sexual side becomes in a sense dehumanized. Many of them develop an “alien ego state” (or dark side), whose core is antisocial lust devoid of most values.

    In time, the “high” obtained from masturbating to pornography becomes more important than real life relationships. . . .

    The process of masturbatory conditioning is inexorable and does not spontaneously remiss. The course of this illness may be slow and is nearly always hidden from view. It is usually a secret part of the man’s life, and like a cancer, it keeps growing and spreading. It rarely ever reverses itself, and it is also very difficult to treat and heal. Denial on the part of the male addict and refusal to confront the problem are typical and predictable, and this almost always leads to marital or couple disharmony, sometimes divorce and sometimes the breaking up of other intimate relationships.

Pornographers promise healthy pleasure and a release from sexual tension, but what they often deliver is addiction, and an eventual decrease in pleasure. Paradoxically, the male patients I worked with often craved pornography but didn’t like it. In the book Pornified, Pamela Paul gives numerous examples of this, and describes one person who decided to limit his pornography use, not from a moralist or guilt-based perspective, but out of a desire to again experience pleasure in actual physical relationships with women.

“Porn impotence,” where the man experiences sexuality preferentially with porn instead of a woman, is a real and growing phenomenon. When a man’s sex drive has been diverted away from his spouse in this way, writes Dr. Cline, the wife can “easily sense this, and often [feels] very lonely and rejected.”

An article in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy described a study showing that many women view the pornographic activities of their partners “as a form of infidelity”:

    The theme that runs through their letters is that the man has taken the most intimate aspect of the relationship, sexuality, which is supposed to express the bond of love between the couple and be confined exclusively to the relationship, and shared it with countless fantasy women. The vast majority of women in this study used words such as “betrayal,” “cheating,” and “affair “ to describe the significance that their partner’s involvement in pornography had for them.

A Triple Hook

Let me use a fishing analogy to illustrate some of these concepts. Every August, if possible, I try to be on the Unalakleet River in Alaska fishing for silver salmon. We use a particular lure, a triple hook called the Blue Fox pixie. As fisherman know, it is important to keep the drag loose just after hooking the fish, when it still has a lot of fight. As the fish tires, though, we tighten the drag and increase the resistance. In this way the fish is reeled into the boat and netted.

Similarly, pornography is a triple hook, consisting of cortical hypofrontality, dopaminergic downgrading, and oxytocin/vasopressin bonding. Each of these hooks is powerful, and they are synergistic. Pornography sets its hooks very quickly and deeply, and as the addiction progresses, it progressively tightens the dopamine drag until there is no more play in the line. The person is drawn ever closer to the boat, and the waiting net.

Demographic Disaster

Why is it essential to understand the addictive nature of pornography? Because if we view it as merely a bad habit, and do not afford those seeking healing the full support needed to overcome any true addiction, we will continue to be disappointed, as individuals and as a society. Pornography is the fabric used to weave a tapestry of sexual permissiveness that undermines the very foundation of society. Biologically, it destroys the ability of a population to sustain itself. It is a demographic disaster.

The author Tom Wolfe said, “The bigger pornography gets, the lower the birthrate becomes.” Does he have a point? In the 1950s every country now in the European Union had a fertility rate above the 2.1 needed to sustain a population. Now none of them do, and several are at or near the 1.3 rate called the “lowest low fertility,” from which it is virtually impossible to recover. It was in the late 1960s and early 1970s that this decline began, which corresponds precisely with the dawning of the sexual revolution. There is a direct correlation between the growing cultural dominance of the sexual revolution and the diminishing birthrate, and while causation may not be proven, it is strongly supported by the pheromone effect of pornography.

Demographic decline is, of course, multi-factorial. Urbanization, women in the workplace, gender role adaptation, and even increased life expectancy are important factors in the inverted population pyramids. But the primordial, or biological factors of human sexuality and family stability are primary and, in my opinion, haven’t been appropriately weighted.

In 1934 Cambridge anthropologist Dr. J. D. Unwin published Sex and Culture. In it he examined 86 cultures spanning 5,000 years with regard to the effects of both sexual restraint and sexual abandon. His perspective was strictly secular, and his findings were not based in moralistic dogma. He found, without exception, that cultures that practiced strict monogamy in marital bonds exhibited what he called creative social energy, and reached the zenith of production. Cultures that had no restraint on sexuality, without exception, deteriorated into mediocrity and chaos. In Houposia, The Sexual and Economic Foundations of a New Society, published posthumously, he summarized:

    In human records, there is no instance of a society retaining its energy after a complete new generation has inherited a tradition which does not insist on pre-nuptial and post-nuptial continence. . . . The evidence is that in the past a class has risen to a position of political dominance because of its great energy and that at the period of its rising, its sexual regulations have always been strict. It has retained its energy and dominated the society so long as its sexual regulations have demanded both pre-nuptial and post-nuptial continence. . . .

I know of no exceptions to these rules...
For remainder of article, click http://www.salvomag.com/new/articles/salvo13/13hilton.php
[28 June 2010, http://www.salvomag.com/new/articles/salvo13/13hilton.php ; 29 June 2010, Abstinence Clearinghouse e-newsletter, www.abstinence.net]


ADDICTED TO PORN
Rebecca Hagelin (“Slave Master” review)
Dr. Hilton skillfully documents the biological reactions to porn usage, specifically how it affects the production and impact of dopamine in the brain. “Dopamine is essential for humans to desire and value appropriate pleasure in life,” writes Dr. Hilton.

Frequent use of pornography produces a steady stream of dopamine which quickly starts to lose its impact on the pleasure center of the brain. Thus, more porn is required to achieve the same “high.”
[28 June 2010, http://townhall.com/columnists/RebeccaHagelin/2010/06/22/addicted_to_porn ; 29 June 2010, Abstinence Clearinghouse e-newsletter, www.abstinence.net]



Commentary: COHABITATION: GOOD IDEA, OR A MARRIAGE KILLER?
By Mike McManus
[In fact, the marriage rate in America has plunged 51 percent since 1970 according to The State of Our Unions 2009. And the divorce rate has risen. Why? Cohabitation is a stealth killer of marriage. It decreases the odds that people will marry at all. And living together greatly increases the odds a couple will divorce if they do marry.
Is Cohabitation Harmless?]

Two-thirds of couples marrying in America are living together. For most, it seems like a reasonable way to test the relationship for marriage. In March a report by National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) seemed to provide evidence that cohabitation is a good idea, or at least, relatively harmless. It reported that couples who live together before marriage and those who don't have about the same chances of a successful union. Specifically, it stated that the "probability that a woman's marriage would last at least 10 years" was nearly the same for those who cohabited before marriage (60%) as for those "who did not cohabit before marriage (66%)."

If these numbers are correct, I have two basic questions:

* In 2008, 6.8 million couples lived together. But there were only 2.16 million marriages. If 65% of cohabitations transitioned into marriage, why weren't there 4.4 million marriages, instead of half as many?
* Since 1970, the marriage rate in America has plunged 51% according to The State of Our Unions 2009.1 Why didn't the percentage of married couples increase if two-thirds of cohabiting couples marry?

My conclusion is that the National Center for Health Statistics needs to do a better job studying statistics.

Cohabitation is a Stealth Killer of Marriage

In fact, the marriage rate in America has plunged 51percent since 1970 according to The State of Our Unions 2009.1 And the divorce rate has risen. Why? Cohabitation is a stealth killer of marriage. It decreases the odds that people will marry at all. And living together greatly increases the odds a couple will divorce if they do marry.2

Myths About Cohabitation

There are three widely prevalent myths about cohabitation that are unwisely causing couples to live together while unmarried.

Myth 1: Living together is a step towards marriage.

Actually, cohabitation is a step away from marriage. Evidence?

The number of couples cohabiting soared 13-fold from 523,000 in 1970 to 6.8 million in 2008. Yet the number of never-married adults tripled in those years from 21 million in 1970 to 63 million in 2008. No wonder the marriage rate plunged in half. Cohabitation has diverted tens of millions away from marriage. It seduced them with the notion that they could test the possibility of marriage without making a full commitment. But you can't practice permanence.

Couples who break up after living together experience a "premarital divorce," which can be almost as painful emotionally as a real divorce. Millions who have done so are so severely impacted that they never do marry. That's why the number of never-married adults tripled at a time the population grew only 50 percent.

A woman who has lived with a man who breaks up with her is typically shattered by the experience. She feels used and embittered, having squandered hope and time she can never recapture. She has pinned her hopes and dreams on an uncommitted man. Men often simply move on to the next woman.

Myth 2: Living together is a trial marriage.

No. It is more like a "trial divorce," in which most couples break up either before or after the wedding. Of the 6.8 million couples mentioned above who lived together, only about 1.4 million married. What happened to the other 5.4 million couples? While some continued living together, millions experienced the "premarital divorce" I referred to above.

Rev. Myles Munroe of the Bahamas laces his fingers together as he says, "When you live with a person of the opposite sex, you 'become one,' as Scripture says. But if you break apart, you do not just separate. You tear,"he said as he slowly pulls his fingers apart. "And part of you stays with that other person. And part of that person stays with you. That's what makes it so painful."

But what of those who marry after living together? Dr. Pamela Smock, a sociologist at the University of Michigan, writes: "Common sense suggests that premarital cohabitation should provide an opportunity for couples to learn about each other, strengthen their bonds, and increase their chances for a successful marriage... The evidence, however, suggests just the opposite. Premarital cohabitation tends to be associated with lower marital quality and to increase the risk of divorce... The degree of consensus about this central finding is impressive."3

In 1989 Dr. Larry Bumpass and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin reported that, "Marriages that are preceded by living together have 50 percent higher disruption rates than marriages without premarital cohabitation."4 Bumpass found that those entering cohabitation have a lower commitment to marriage and reduced conflict resolution and support skills. Many are children of divorce or of non-marriage, which makes them fearful of marriage. When their marriages experience strife, these couples are less able to cope and are more likely to give up and leave.

Several years ago, Dr. Paul Amato of Pennsylvania State University wondered if Dr. Bumpass' study overstated the dangers of cohabitation. The original study measured what happened to couples in the 1980s, when relatively few couples cohabited. As larger numbers of middle-class couples lived together, presumably the success of their unions would be higher.

However, as he and his colleagues compared cohabitants who married in the 1980s with those in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they found the risk of divorce for couples who married after living together actually increased from a 50 percent higher rate, to a 61 percent higher rate of divorce, than for couples who lived separately before marrying.5 Though the stigma of cohabitation has largely evaporated - the likelihood of marriage failing after cohabitation has increased. Dr. Amato asserted to me recently that cohabiting couples who marry have less happiness, more conflict, and more problems in their marriages, as well as a higher divorce rate.

Why Doesn't Cohabitation Work?

Why is cohabitation such a destructive force for couples who marry after living together? Dr. Catherine Cohan, also of Penn State , constructed a brilliant experiment to find out. Researchers interviewed married couples, some of whom had cohabited, and others who had not. They put the couples into a living room setting and asked them to discuss an issue in their relationship, such as sex, money, children, housework, or careers. Video cameras taped their conversations for later study.

"Those people who lived together were more negative and less positive when resolving a marital problem," Dr. Cohan said. Those who first cohabited, even only for one month before marriage, displayed poorer communication and problem-solving skills than those who had not lived together first. Husbands who had cohabited, for example, were more likely to attempt to control their wives, while their wives were more verbally aggressive.6

Why? My theory is that those who cohabit lose respect for themselves and their partner. Those who lived separately until the wedding have more self-respect and more respect for their spouse. Christian scripture says, "Flee fornication."7 Fornication is consensual intercourse between unmarried people. What is cohabitation but fornication raised to the 100th power?

Myth 3: "What we do is nobody's business."

Couples often believe that if they cohabit is a private matter that has no effect on anyone else. However, 41 percent of cohabiting couples have children - almost the same as the 46 percent of married couples who have children under age 18. "By 2001, the majority of non-marital births (52 percent) occurred within cohabiting unions," reported the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in a 2010 report.8

The NCHS estimates that about two-fifths of all children will spend some time in a cohabiting household before age 16.9 Children of cohabitating unions are likely to be brought up by a single mother, because most fathers drift away or are driven off. Those mothers and their children then become eligible for government aid, such as welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid. A Heritage Foundation study estimates that the 13 million single parent families cost taxpayers $20,000 per family in Fiscal 2004, or a total of $260 billion.10 What cohabiting couples do matters to all taxpayers.

A Better Way to Prepare for Marriage

Paul, in his "Epistle to the Thessalonians," wrote: "Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil." 11 Cohabitation isevil. That's what an 80-90 percent failure rate is.

There are better ways than cohabitation for couples to prepare for marriage. I've outlined them below. (For more detail, see a book my wife and I wrote: Living Together: Myths, Risks & Answers.)12

1. Take a test called a premarital inventory.

This is a detailed relationship questionnaire, now taken over the Internet. The PREPARE-ENRICH inventory (www.prepare-enrich.com), for example, is composed of more than 150 statements for couples to respond to, such as these:

* I go out of my way to avoid conflict with my partner.
* When we are having a problem, my partner often refuses to talk about it.

2. Meet with a trained Mentor Couple.

They are skilled in talking through the relational issues that are surfaced by the inventory. One poll estimates 86 percent of weddings are performed by clergy.13 Some congregations have trained couples in healthy marriages to serve as marriage mentors. However, most have not. One can go to www.prepare-enrich.com and type in a Zip Code to identify scores of people in any community trained to administer the inventory. However, they are usually clergy or therapists, not trained Mentor Couples. Therapists, of course, will charge a fee, while most clergy charge nothing.

I recommend asking the church if it has mentor couples who go over the results with couples. At our home church, Mentor Couples will spend 6-7 evenings for 2+ hours each to review all inventory items, and to teach skills of conflict resolution. A pastor will typically give only an hour to review an inventory. How many of the 150+ items can be covered in that time? Fewer than ten.

My wife and I run a national organization, Marriage Savers, which has trained thousands of clergy and mentor couples to administer a premarital inventory and then go through the results with couples, with the result that the divorce and cohabitation rate for the whole city or county drop significantly and the marriage rate rises. However, we have not trained in most communities. To find out which churches have trained Mentor Couples, call 800 331-1661.

The inventory becomes a bridge between an older generation whose marriage has worked, and the next generation, eager to learn how to build a strong relationship that thrives over the decades. Mentors can also teach communication and conflict resolution skills.

3. Stop living together.

Cohabitation harms relationships. Churches should insist that cohabiting couples move apart if they want to be married in the church. No single stop could do more to increase their odds of success.14

4. Stop having sex.

Bottom line, remaining chaste before marriage increases the odds of marital success significantly. Of the 60 couples my wife and I have mentored over the years, only 10 were chaste. We provided them evidence from a study that over four decades showed the sexually active are about two-thirds more likely to divorce than those who remain chaste. I say to them, "If you want God's blessing, you need to consider playing by His rules. You can increase the odds of a lifelong marriage by becoming chaste until the wedding." We then ask them to consider signing an Optional Premarital Sexual Covenant (created by Marriage Savers).

Chastity is important not just before marriage, but afterwards as well. Adultery is a major cause of divorce. One way to get in training for lifelong chastity, is to begin practicing it now, with the person one plans to marry. If couples can't be chaste with each other, how will they trust each other after the wedding? The good news is that chastity before marriage actually increases their odds of a lifelong marriage. Of the 50 sexually active couples we worked with, how many do you think became chaste? Guess, before looking at an endnote.15

Insurance for Successful Marriages

During the 1990s, our church's Mentor Couples prepared 288 couples for marriage with the type of premarital program outlined above. Of that number, 58 couples decided not to marry. That's a big 20 percent. Studies show that such couples avoided a bad marriage before it began - essentially divorce prevention. But of the 230 couples who married, we know of only 16 divorces, for a divorce rate of only 7 percent over nearly two decades.

That is a 93 percent success rate - virtual marriage insurance. Compare that with the nearly 90 percent breakup rate of those who cohabit - either before or after the wedding.

The answer is not cohabitation, but solid marriage preparation led by trained Mentor Couples.


----Mike McManus is President and Co-Chairof Marriage Savers, a non-profit that has helped 10,000 clergy adopt 228 Community Marriage Policies that have reduced city-wide divorce and cohabitation rates, and raised marriage rates. He co-authored a book with his wife, Harriet, Living Together: Myths, Risks & Answers, and more recently, How To Cut America's Divorce Rate in Half: A Strategy Every State Should Adopt. He has also written a nationally syndicated newspaper column, "Ethics & Religion" for three decades. The footnotes were not listed with this article.
[28 June 2010, http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12695 ; 29 June 2010, Abstinence Clearinghouse e-newsletter, www.abstinence.net]

NOTE: There is difficult content in this article. APFLI does NOT condone the use of masturbation, which is NOT a healthy behavior either physically or psychologically.

Parents Outraged at Planned Parenthood Class Teaching Sexual Positions
The group's teen page, meanwhile, teaches visitors "all about the anus" and lauds the health benefits of masturbation.

By Kathleen Gilbert

SHENANDOAH, Iowa, June 24, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Parents in Southwest Iowa have reacted in horror after learning that Planned Parenthood's co-ed sex education course not only used pornographic teaching materials but also taught children sexual positions.

Colleen Dostal told Fox News Radio, after discovering that her 14-year-old son had been taught sexual positions using stuffed animals meant to represent STDs, that the class was "horribly inappropriate."

“I do not understand why any adult with a classroom of children would show them sexual positions,” she told Fox.

Dostal said the class also included directions on performing female exams and used an anatomically correct model of a male sex organ to explain how to use a condom.

The parents said the school's principal was "mortified" when told the content of the class and apologized. Several other parents complained to school superintendent Dick Profit. Profit, however, claimed he had received equal numbers of calls supporting and opposing the explicit sex-ed, according to the World Herald.

Speaking for Planned Parenthood, Jennifer Horner defended the curriculum as giving children "accurate" information.

"We are not trying to keep any of this a secret. All information we use is medically accurate and science based," she said.

Planned Parenthood's extremely explicit take on teen sex-ed is evident from the "Teen Talk" section of their website, a series of pages decorated with images of heterosexual and homosexual intimacy, which leads youngsters to a wealth of information on deviant sexual practices.

One page entitled "All about the anus: how much do you really know about your anus?" gives explicit details on anal penetration as a source of sexual pleasure and "as a way to preserve the woman's virginity." While noting that anal penetration "is, of course, high risk for HIV," PP advocates using condoms or "Sheer Glyde dams" to protect against the fatal virus.

Elsewhere, Planned Parenthood dedicates a web page to advocating masturbation as "safe and healthy, and it's here to stay." The article hails the painkilling and stress-relieving qualities of masturbation, and assures that it's "fine" to do so several times a day.   [ http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10062407.html

August 12, 2010: Austin LifeGuard & The Medical Institute Clinical Intervention Seminar. Austin LifeGuard and the Medical Institute are pleased to announce the Clinical Intervention Seminar. We invite you to participate in this compelling conference where board certified physicians will relay up-to-date scientific information. As a caring medical or public health professional, this is your opportunity to explore current information and communication strategies for protecting the health, hope, and happiness of the next generation.

Topics will include updates in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their complications; HPV infection and vaccines; condoms and risk reduction; emotional consequences of sexual activity; and teen and nonmarital pregnancy. Clinic and office managers will be particularly interested in the afternoon presentations, when interactive sessions will include a discussion of office policies that incorporate screening instruments into sexual history taking and counseling that promotes risk avoidance.
For further details and registration information, please visit www.austinlifeguard.com or http://www.austinlifeguard.com/index.php?s=9&p=16&fn=News%20and%20Events
[May 2010, The Medical Institute, http://content.enewslettersonline.com/17125/37150.html]



Importance of Parent-Teen Connectedness
Given the impact that adolescent births and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have on individuals and society at large, it is important for adolescents to be given the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make healthy decisions. Previous research has shown that positive youth development (PYD) is effective for reducing teen pregnancy and STIs.1

PYD programs aim to provide adolescents with knowledge and skills to make healthy decisions and develop their natural strengths, teaching them that a hopeful future can result from good choices. Connectedness or "bonding"- i.e., stronger relationships between adolescents and their parents, peers, schools, and community groups- has been identified as one of the key elements in PYD programs. However, it is not completely understood how these different types of connectedness affect risky sexual behavior among youth.

In a recent review of over 190 published research articles that explore how connectedness influences adolescent sexual health,1 researchers identified eight different types of connectedness: family connectedness; parent-adolescent general communication; parent-adolescent communication about sexual topics; parental monitoring or regulation; peer connectedness; partner connectedness; school connectedness; and community connectedness.

By primarily focusing on longitudinal studies, which are designed to show how a program affects health outcomes over time, the researchers could draw conclusions about how different types of connectedness are related to sexual health outcomes later in the lives of adolescents.

The collected research provided evidence that family connectedness, parent-adolescent general communication, parent-adolescent sexual communication, parental monitoring, partner connectedness (for females), and school connectedness are associated with delayed sexual initiation or protection against early sexual debut.

While there is not enough evidence to determine the association of peer connectedness and adolescent sexual health outcomes, there is limited evidence that some types of peer connectedness could be a risk factor for adverse outcomes. For example, one longitudinal study showed that teens who report better relationships with their peers were more likely to have sex earlier than those who have poorer peer relationships.2 Parental overcontrol was the only measure of parental monitoring that indicated a risk to sexual health outcomes: teens who felt their parents were too controlling were more likely to say that they have ever had sex.3,4

Further research is needed to more clearly define relationships between connectedness and sexual health outcomes and to explore how well the findings of the collected research studies can be generalized to a broader population.

However, current evidence suggests that parent connectedness can protect adolescents from sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as ever having sex, having a first sexual experience at a young age, contracting an STI, and becoming pregnant. Therefore, it is important for parents to stay involved in their teen's life. Effective parenting and open communication can guide youth to healthier sexual decision making. Regular conversations on sexual health with their teens may be one of the most powerful tools against risky adolescent sexual behaviors.

References:
1. Markham CM, Lormand D, Gloppen KM, Peskin MF, Flores B, Low B, House LD. Connectedness as a predictor of sexual and reproductive health outcomes for youth. J Adolesc Health 2010;46(3):S23-S41.
2. Crockett LJ, Bingham CR, Chopak JS, Vicary JR. Timing of first sexual intercourse: the role of social control, social learning, and problem behavior. J Youth Adolesc 1996;25:89-111.
3. Upchurch DM, Anehensel CS, Sucoff CA, Levy-Storms L. Neighborhood and family contexts of adolescent sexual activity. J Marriage Fam 2001;63:920-933.
4. Forste R, Haas DW. The transition of adolescent males to first sexual intercourse: anticipated or delayed? Perspect Sex Reprod Health 2002;34:184-190.
[May 2010, Medical Institute for Sexual Health e-newsletter, [May 2010, The Medical Institute, http://content.enewslettersonline.com/17125/37150.html]]



THE INFLUENCE OF CHARACTER AND CONFIDENCE ON TEEN SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

Confident, goal-oriented teens and those who have developed empathy and a sense of ethical behavior in their relationships with others are more likely to delay sex in particular—and to thrive in general—as they mature into adults.

CDC-funded research bears out these obvious facts in the following studies [abstracts follow]:

1 Confidence as a Predictor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth -- http://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X%2809%2900640-5/fulltext

2 Character as a Predictor of Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth: A Systematic Review
http://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X%2809%2900642-9/fulltext

1 Confidence as a Predictor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth -- http://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X%2809%2900640-5/fulltext Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 46, Issue 3, Supplement, Pages S42-S58 (March 2010)

Abstract
Purpose
To assess the association between four positive youth development (PYD) constructs of confidence and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) outcomes.

Methods

We searched nine online databases to locate behavioral research that examined the association between four constructs of confidence (belief in the future, self-determination, clear and positive identity, and self-efficacy) and ASRH outcomes (e.g., ever had sex, condom use, contraception use, number of partners, pregnancy/birth, and sexually transmitted infection). Findings were coded as “protective,” “risk,” or “no association.” The presence of at least two longitudinal studies reporting consistent significant associations for at least one ASRH outcome indicated evidence for a protective or risk association.

Results

We found evidence to support two of the four PYD constructs of confidence (belief in the future and self-determination) as protective factors for ASRH outcomes. Evidence was insufficient to draw conclusions about clear and positive identity as a protective factor, and was mixed for self-efficacy. Measures of confidence varied considerably across the studies reviewed, reflecting varying definitions; often, the measures used had limited information on reliability. Few longitudinal investigations were identified, and available studies were inconsistent in how they examined the association between the PYD constructs and ASRH outcomes. Evidence for most constructs was insufficient to identify their influence on specific sub-groups of youth.

Conclusions

Despite the need for additional research, this review suggests that belief in the future and self-determination are promising protective factors. Further research is needed to better understand the potential for self-efficacy and clear and positive identity as protective factors.
Keywords: Adolescent, HIV prevention, STD prevention, Unintended pregnancy, Youth development, Confidence, Belief in the future, Self-efficacy, Self-determination, Identity


2  Character as a Predictor of Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth: A Systematic Review

Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 46, Issue 3, Supplement, Pages S59-S74 (March 2010)
Lawrence Duane House, M.A.aCorresponding Author Informationemail address, Trisha Mueller, M.P.H.a, Belinda Reininger, Dr.P.H.b, Kathryn Brown, M.P.H.c, Christine M. Markham, Ph.D.d
Received 16 August 2009; accepted 26 November 2009.

Abstract
To review research examining the influence of character on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). We defined character as comprising two positive youth development constructs: prosocial norms and spirituality.

We conducted a systematic review of behavioral research published from 1985 through 2007 that examined the association between two character constructs (prosocial norms and spirituality) and ASRH outcomes. We coded results as showing a protective association, risk association, or no association, and as longitudinal, or cross-sectional. We considered consistent associations from at least two longitudinal studies for a given outcome to be sufficient evidence for a protective or risk association.

There is sufficient evidence to indicate that prosocial norms and spirituality can be protective factors for some ASRH outcomes including intention to have sex, early sex or ever having sex, contraceptive and condom use, frequency of sex, and pregnancy. The generalizability of findings by age, race/ethnicity, and gender was unclear. Findings suggest that some character sub-constructs are associated with a reduced likelihood of several adverse ASRH outcomes and with an increased likelihood of using contraceptives and intending to use condoms. Further research is needed to better understand mixed results and results showing some character sub-constructs, such as religious affiliation, to be associated with adverse ASRH outcomes...

Conclusion
In summary, this review indicates that character can be a protective factor for ASRH outcomes. PYD programs that seek to foster prosocial norms through sharing information on normative behaviors and which provide a safe and supportive setting for youth to make public commitments to prosocial behavior may have a positive effect on sexual and reproductive health as well as other youth outcomes. Furthermore, PYD programs that support spiritual development and growth through encouraging youth to gain a sense of religiosity may also have a positive effect on ASRH and other youth outcomes...
Keywords: Character, Adolescent, Sexual behavior, Reproductive health
[POSTED: JUN 01, 2010, Abstinence Clearinghouse e-newsletter, 2June2010, abstinence.net]

PARENT RESOURCE PACKAGE
At last, a resource package designed to inform and support parents in their quest to improve the sexual health of today's youth. Within this package parents will find information about: how to start a lifelong conversation with their children about sexual health; age-appropriate answers to a child's questions about sex; the emotional consequences of casual sex; sexually transmitted infections; and much more. [Sale price about $50 -- http://www.medinstitute.org/products/item143.cfm ]
- 1 Tell Me NOW! Complete Set
- 1 Hooked hardback book
- 1 Questions Kids Ask About Sex paperback book
- 1 "Connected Parents: Healthy Youth" brochure
- 1 "The Facts About Human Papillomavirus (HPV)" brochure
- 1 "The Facts About Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)" brochure
- 1 "It's Just Sex, Right?" brochure
- 1 "Moving Forward" brochure
[May 2010, The Medical Institute, http://content.enewslettersonline.com/17125/37150.html]



FAST FACT OF THE MONTH
The teen birth rate fell 2% in 2008, according to preliminary data, halting the rise in teen birth rates seen between 2005 and 2007. The preliminary 2008 birth rate for unmarried women decreased almost 2%, following a 21% rise between 2002 and 2007.

Source: Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: Preliminary data for 2008. National Vital Statistics Reports web release; vol. 59 [58], no. 16. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Released April 6, 2010. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_16.pdf. Accessed May 27, 2010.
[May 2010, The Medical Institute, http://content.enewslettersonline.com/17125/37150.html]
[FROM THE ABSTRACT:]
Results -- The preliminary number of 2008 U.S. births was 4.251.095 -- down nearly 2% from the 2007 peak; the 2008 general fertility rate (68,7 per 1,000) also declined. The number and rate of births decreased for the three largest race and Hispanic origin groups in 2008.

The birth rate for U.S. teenagers 15-19 years fell 2% in 2008 to 41.5 per 1,000, reversing a brief 2-year increase that had halted the long-term decline from 1991 to 2005. The birth rate for Hispanic teenagers declined to an historic low. The birth rates for women in their twenties (the primary childbearing years) fell 2% to 3%.

The birth rate for unmarried women aged 15-44 years declined about 2%, to 52.0 per 1000 -- the first decline since 2001-2002; however, the number and percentage of births to unmarried women increased to historic levels. The cesarean delivery rate rose for the 12th straight year, to 32.3% of all births. The percentage of births born preterm declined 3%, to 12.3 in 2008; declines were seen for most age, race, and ethnic groups.

The rate of low birthweight births was unchanged for 2007-2008 at 8.2%; a small decline in low birthweight was reported for infants form to non-Hispanic black women (from 13.8% to 13.7%).
Key -- births, birth rates, maternal and infant health, vital statistics

State-specific detailed tables for 2008 births, based on preliminary data -- showing the percentages of births to women under age 20 years, to unmarried women, delivered by cesarean, born preterm, and low birthweight -- are available on the NCHS website (see "State-specific detailed tables" at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_16_tables.pdf )
Source: Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: Preliminary data for 2008. National Vital Statistics Reports web release; vol. 59 [58], no. 16. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Released April 6, 2010. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_16.pdf. Accessed May 27, 2010.

Analysis: Childhood Family Structure Linked to Rate of Female Homosexuality

 The Family Research Council (FRC) released a new analytic report Thursday indicating that women who did not grow up with their biological mother and father are much more likely to engage in homosexual conduct as adults than are women who grew up in an intact family.

"This research further undermines the claim that homosexuality is largely genetic or biological in origin," stated Patrick F. Fagan, Ph.D., senior fellow and director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI) at FRC, and co-author of the study. "It is clear that social factors have a significant impact on whether a woman chooses to engage in homosexual relationships."

The study was based on 2002 data regarding 7,643 women between the ages of 14 and 44, drawn from the National Survey of Family Growth conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The evaluation of the data was conducted by Fagan and D. Paul Sullins, Ph.D., from the Department of Sociology at the Catholic University of America.

Women who grew up in households where their biological fathers were absent were found to be three times more likely to have had homosexual partners in the year prior to the survey than were women who grew up with their biological fathers.

"Classical theory and earlier research focused on the important role which attachment to the same sex parent plays in the sexual development of children," said Fagan. "These data seem to indicate that the father also plays a crucial role in the sexual development of his daughter.

"With a continued breakdown in the family it is reasonable to expect a rise in homosexual behavior among women. Difficulties in the development of sexual identification with the same sex parent will increase where there is a breakdown of attachment between both parents," concluded Fagan.

The report also examined the correlation between current religious participation and homosexual conduct. Women who never attend religious worship were similarly found more than three times as likely to have homosexual relationships than women who attended worship weekly.

When both factors (childhood family structure and present religious participation) were combined, the study found that only 2.1 percent of women from an intact family who worship weekly had a homosexual partner in the past year, while women from a non-intact family who never attend worship were four and one-half times as likely to have had such a partner (9.5 percent).

Click here to download the report...  http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF10E29.pdf
[WASHINGTON, D.C., May 20, 2010, www.LifeSiteNews.com]

Homosexuality in Women: It's Nurture, Not Nature
Original research conducted by FRC has just driven another nail in the coffin of the "gay gene" myth.

Homosexual activists want to win the affirmation and celebration of homosexual relationships as a matter of "civil rights." That campaign rests largely on an effort to persuade people that homosexuality is fixed at birth by genetic or biological factors, rather than influenced by social and environmental ones.

But the latest edition of Mapping America, the flagship publication of FRC 's Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI) [http://www.frc.org/marriinteriorpages/mapping-america-93-women-who-had-a-homosexual-sexual-partner-in-the-past-year-by-current-religious-attendance-and-structure-of-family-of-origin], has proven that family structure in childhood has a huge influence on the likelihood of women to engage in homosexual conduct as adults.

Drawing on data from the National Survey of Family Growth, FRC's Patrick Fagan, Ph.D., working with D. Paul Sullins, Ph.D., found that women who grew up with their married, biological mother and father were the least likely to have had a same-sex sexual partner in the previous year.

Women who did not grow up with both biological parents were anywhere from 50% to 240% more likely to have had a homosexual partner.

The study also looked at the correlation between homosexual conduct and religious attendance. Overall, it found that women from non-intact families who never attend worship are four and a half times more likely to have homosexual relations than women from intact families who worship weekly.

It's clear that nurture, not nature, plays the principal role in determining which women pursue homosexual relationships. [http://www.frc.org/marriinteriorpages/mapping-america-93-women-who-had-a-homosexual-sexual-partner-in-the-past-year-by-current-religious-attendance-and-structure-of-family-of-origin ; FRC, 21May10]

PEW VS. THE PILL
Daniel J. Flynn
The Pew Research Center's "New Demography of American Motherhood" survey reports the disturbing statistic that 41 percent of American babies enter life without their parents united in marriage. In 1960, when the FDA approved The Pill, just one in twenty births occurred to unmarried parents.

Fifty years of The Pill has counter-intuitively resulted in more unplanned pregnancies, rather than less.

Fifty years ago this June, the Food and Drug Administration granted approval to the birth-control pill. Because the FDA had announced on May 9, 1960, that it intended to approve the drug, and because May 9 conveniently fell on Mother's Day this year, The Pill's celebrants seized on Mother's Day to mark The Pill's anniversary.

Did they miss the last fifty years?

In contrast to the perfect timing that links a drug to prevent motherhood with a holiday celebrating it, is the bad timing that witnesses The Pill's 50th anniversary coinciding with a study whose findings suggest birth-control pills have worked better in theory than in practice.

The Pill was going to eradicate abortion, illegitimacy, and divorce. All of these social ills exploded in The Pill's wake, as did several venereal diseases unknown when the FDA approved The Pill.

Certainly, as countless testimonies note, The Pill enabled individual women to plan pregnancies, pursue careers, and enjoy more sex. Who's to gainsay the belief of many American that The Pill did indeed improve their lives?

But from the standpoint of reproductive responsibility, The Pill has been, in aggregate, a disaster.

Like so many social panaceas, The Pill unleashed a slew of unintended consequences.

More so than Playboy, The Kinsey Reports, Roe v. Wade, or any other postwar development, The Pill offered the Faustian bargain of more sex, fewer children; more partners, less heartbreak; promiscuity without disease.

But rather than the theoretic dreamworld for women, The Pill has spawned an adolescent male's fantasy made real: easy sex, pleasure minus the responsibility, and the cad replacing the gentleman as the social ideal.

The Pill provoked men and women to partake in an act of permanent consequences with the most transient of acquaintances.

The result, predictably, was generations of children unwanted by their parents, who in many cases demonstrated this sad reality by abandoning or aborting them.

The Pill reduced a serious act to frivolity.

When surveyed on why they had children, 51 percent of women responded to Pew: "It wasn't a decision; it just happened."

In other words, The Pill may have thwarted nature but it did not repeal human nature.

Unlike The Pill, which performs close to perfection in laboratory studies, people living in the real world remained imperfect, prone to temptation, and sometimes unable to weigh instant gratification with long-term consequences.

And even the champions of contraception admit shortcomings. According to the Planned Parenthood spinoff, the Guttmacher Institute, "Fifty-four percent of women who have abortions had used a contraceptive method (usually the condom or the pill) during the month they became pregnant."

Further complicating The Pill's legacy is the dramatic rise in births among older women -- aided by fertility rather than anti-fertility drugs -- that the Pew survey documents.

Since 1990, Pew notes that births to women 35 and older jumped from 9 percent to 14 percent.

Ironically, birth control delaying pregnancy, or unleashing promiscuity leading to infertility, has more women reaching for pills working at cross purposes from The Pill.
[http://spectator.org/archives/2010/05/11/pew-vs-the-pill , Daniel J. Flynn of Pew Research Center; 17May10, www.abstinence.net]

GAMBLING WITH YOUR SEX LIFE - THE PILL
Almost a third of 1,000 German medical students on the Pill reported various symptoms of sexual disfunction, according to a recent survey. Compared to those on other types of birth control, the young women had lower desire and arousal scores.

The editor of the publishing journal, Dr. Irwin Goldstein, commented, “When you fool around with your sex steroid hormones, you gamble with your sex life…Three hundred million users of the pill (worldwide) are putting themselves at risk (of sexual changes), with extremely limited informed consent that this is happening,” he continued.

At the same time as the hormonal birth control pill turns 50, researchers have found a link between it and sexual dysfunction in the women who take it. In a German study, 32 per cent of over 1000 women surveyed who took the pill, were found to have some form of sexual dysfunction.

“Our data show that hormonal contraception in particular, was associated with lower desire and arousal scores when compared with other contraceptives,” the researchers, led by Lisa-Maria Wallwiener, MD, of the University of Heidelberg, wrote. The group experiencing the lowest levels of sexual dysfunction was that using non-hormonal forms of birth control.

“The effect of hormones is there, we have an association. But, at this time, we cannot say if this is causality,” said co-author Dr. Alfred Mueck, professor in the Centre of Women's Health at the University of Tubingen. “We can only say there might be an effect of hormonal contraceptives (on sexual functioning). But this is only one factor beside other factors that can influence sexual function.”

A study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, examined results from 1086 female German medical students and found that those taking birth control pills and other forms of hormonal contraception were at the highest risk for low libido and arousal problems. Lack of sexual desire is the main problem that women report, along with lack of orgasm, an inability to become aroused, and painful intercourse.

The researchers believe that the pill can lower circulating levels of testosterone, the hormone needed to stimulate sexual desire and regulate blood flow to the genitals, in both sexes.

The journal’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Irwin Goldstein, wrote, “When you fool around with your sex steroid hormones, you gamble with your sex life.”

“The value of this paper is to remind us that 300 million users of the pill (worldwide) are putting themselves at risk (of sexual changes), with extremely limited informed consent that this is happening,” Goldstein said.

The women, from six different medical schools, filled out online questionnaires designed to identify problems with sexual function within the past four weeks based on the “Female Sexual Function Index,” a validated scale consisting of 19 questions on the physical details of sexual function.

Of the group, about 90 per cent used contraception, and almost all had been sexually active in the previous four weeks. Eighty per cent were in a “stable relationship,” that was defined as having had the same sex partner for at least the past six months. 70 per cent of the women surveyed used hormonal contraceptives.

Since their introduction in the early 1960s, hormonal contraceptives have become one of the two most popular methods of artificial contraception, next to sterilization, with an estimated 300 million women using them worldwide. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the pill on May 9, 1960.

Elaine Tyler May, 62, a University of Minnesota history professor and author of the book “America and the Pill” told Associated Press this week that the expectations held for the pill in the early 60s have failed to materialize.

“Married couples could have happier sex with more freedom and less fear. The divorce rate might go down and there would be no more unwanted pregnancies,” she said. “None of those things happened, not the optimistic hopes or the pessimistic fears of sexual anarchy.”

Despite May’s assurance about “sexual anarchy,” however, statistics show that while the number of people getting married continues to fall in most western countries where the use of the pill is common, those same countries have seen an explosion of sexually transmitted diseases and out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended and nearly half of those end in abortion.

Britain has been especially susceptible to the sexual anarchy that May says has not happened, with one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the developed world.

While schools have become a common source of free contraception for girls, without parent’s knowledge or consent, figures released this week by the Office of National Statistics show that about 40,000 British girls under 18 became pregnant in 2008, or 40 per 1000. A report issued by the Relationships Foundation, a British think tank, said that family breakdown is costing the British taxpayer about £41.7 billion per year. This estimate includes £12.38 billion in tax credits and benefits, £4.27 billion in housing support, and £13.68 billion in health and social care.
[May 7, 2010, www.LifeSiteNews.com, http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/may/10050701.html; 17May10, www.abstinence.net]

WHAT THE PILL DID...
RAQUEL WELCH is a Golden Globe-winning film, TV and stage actress who has starred in 45 films, including "The Three Musketeers," "Kansas City Bomber" and "Myra Breckinridge." On Broadway she starred in "Woman of the Year" and "Victor/Victoria"; and on TV in the Golden Globe-nominated miniseries "American Family." Her new book is Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage.
story.welch.raquel.courtesy.jpg

Over the course of the last five decades--from 1960 to 2010--it got easier to see how the change in female sexuality since The Pill has irrevocably affected American society, for better and worse.

By the early 60's The Pill had made it easier for a woman to delay having children until after she established herself in a career.

Another significant effect of The Pill on female sexual attitudes during the 60's was, and still is: "Now we can have sex anytime we want, without the consequences. Hallelujah, let's party!"

These days, nobody seems able to "keep it in their pants" or honor a commitment, raising the question: Is marriage still a viable option? I'm ashamed to admit that I myself have been married four times, and yet I still feel that marriage is the cornerstone of civilization, an essential institution that stabilizes society, provides a sanctuary for children. Strong family-orientated communities save us from anarchy.

In stark contrast, a lack of sexual inhibitions, or as some call it, "sexual freedom," has taken the caution and discernment out of choosing a sexual partner, which used to be the equivalent of choosing a life partner. Without a commitment, the trust and loyalty between couples of child bearing age is missing, and obviously leads to increased incidents of infidelity. No one seems immune...


MARY MATALIN ON “WHAT THE PILL DID”

Mary Matalin joined CNN as a Republican strategist and political contributor in April 2009 and now appears on a variety of network programs. She has worked for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush and formerly held the White House positions of assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney.

When The Pill arrived, we second-wave feminists heralded it as a miracle. The Pill had way less to do with reproductive control than just control. Period. Health concerns were dismissed; progressive mothers (whose previous reproductive control dictate for their daughters was to inform them from the first "talk" that it was the girl's job to just say NO!) sent their girls off to college with The Pill.

Talk about mixed messages. Those morally whip-lashed girls with their packages of portable liberation ushered in a generation of women determined to break free from their inferior patriarchal oppressors. And how did they manifest their superiority? Their freedom? Thanks to The Pill, by casual, drive-by sex. Whoa. That really showed those stupid boys.

The smart daughters of that generation lamented the demise of romance. Today's smart daughters just say NO! We've come a long way, baby.


THERESA NOTARE is assistant director of the Natural Family Planning Program of the USCCB.

Today, with our renewed sensitivity toward environmental well-being and our preference for healthy organic foods and "green" products, thoughtful people should mourn 50 years of the birth control pill.
story.theresa.notare.usccb.jpg

Fifty years ago the public spotlight was on the availability of "safe, easy and effective birth control." It would all be very easy -- and women were to be "empowered." Little was said of the many harmful side effects among the women in the developing countries where the drug trials were conducted. The past 50 years has seen a steady stream of new formulations meant to reduce the unpleasant and risky side-effects (and lawsuits) of the last generation of pills.

Beyond that, how are women (and men) healthier or happier because of The Pill? A thoughtful person should connect the dots. Young people routinely have multiple sexual partners before marriage, no doubt facilitated by The Pill, and the divorce rate still soars. The Pill does not prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, accordingly, the STD rate is epidemic.

Some studies claim health benefits of The Pill, yet both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization identify steroidal estrogen, present in some birth control pills, as a carcinogen. And some scientists have begun to explore the link between the runoff of the estrogen into local waters and disruption of fish populations.

Think, people. Dare to ask whether we have something to celebrate.

[7May10, http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/06/pogrebin.pill.roundup/index.html?iref=allsearch; 17May10, www.abstinence.net)

 

It's Sex O'clock in America  by Raquel Welch
Margaret Sanger opened the first American family-planning clinic in 1916, and nothing would be the same again. Since then the growing proliferation of birth control methods has had an awesome effect on both sexes and led to a sea change in moral values.

And as I've grown older over the past five decades -- from 1960 to 2010 -- and lived through this revolutionary period in female sexuality, I've seen how it has altered American society -- for better or worse.

On the upside, by the early 60's The Pill had made it easier for a woman to choose to delay having children until after she established herself in a career.

Nonetheless, for young women of childbearing age (I was one of them) there was a need for some careful soul searching -- and consideration about the long-range effects of oral contraceptives -- before addressing this very personal decision. It was a decision I too would have to face when I discovered I was pregnant at age 19.

Even though I was married to the baby's father, Jim Welch, I wasn't prepared for this development. It meant I would have to put my career ambitions on hold.

But "the choice" was not mine alone to make. I had always wanted to have Jim's babies, but wasn't at all sure how he would react. At the time, we were 19-year-old newlyweds, struggling to make ends meet. But he was unflinching in his desire to keep our baby and his positive, upbeat attitude about the whole prospect turned everything around.

I have always loved Jim for how he responded in that moment.

During my pregnancy, I came to realize that this process was not about me. I was just a spectator to the metamorphosis that was happening inside my womb so that another life could be born.

It came down to an act of self-sacrifice, especially for me, as a woman. But both of us were fully involved, not just for that moment, but for the rest of our lives. And it's scary. You may think you can skirt around the issue and dodge the decision, but I've never known anyone who could. Jim and I had two beautiful children who've been an ongoing blessing to both of us.

Later, I would strike out on my own, with my little ones, as a single mother to pursue a career in the movies. It was far from ideal, but my children didn't impede my progress. They grounded me in reality and forced me into an early maturity. I should add that having two babies didn't destroy my figure.

But if I'd had a different attitude about sex, conception and responsibility, things would have been very different.

One significant, and enduring, effect of The Pill on female sexual attitudes during the 60's, was: "Now we can have sex anytime we want, without the consequences. Hallelujah, let's party!"

It remains this way. These days, nobody seems able to "keep it in their pants" or honor a commitment! Raising the question: Is marriage still a viable option? I'm ashamed to admit that I myself have been married four times, and yet I still feel that it is the cornerstone of civilization, an essential institution that stabilizes society, provides a sanctuary for children and saves us from anarchy.

In stark contrast, a lack of sexual inhibitions, or as some call it, "sexual freedom," has taken the caution and discernment out of choosing a sexual partner, which used to be the equivalent of choosing a life partner. Without a commitment, the trust and loyalty between couples of childbearing age is missing, and obviously leads to incidents of infidelity. No one seems immune.

As a result of the example set by their elders, by the 1990s teenage sexual promiscuity -- or hooking up -- with multiple partners had become a common occurrence. Many of my friends who were parents of teenagers sat in stunned silence several years ago when it came to light that oral sex had become a popular practice among adolescent girls in middle schools across the country.

The 13-year-old daughter of one such friend freely admitted to performing fellatio on several boys at school on a regular basis. "Aw come on, Mom. It's no big deal. Everyone is doing it," she said. Apparently, since it's not the act of intercourse, kids don't count it as sex. Can any sane person fail to make a judgment call about that?

Seriously, folks, if an aging sex symbol like me starts waving the red flag of caution over how low moral standards have plummeted, you know it's gotta be pretty bad.

In fact, it's precisely because of the sexy image I've had that it's important for me to speak up and say: Come on girls! Time to pull up our socks! We're capable of so much better.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Raquel Welch. [7May, CNN, by Raquel Welch, http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/07/welch.sex.pill/index.html; Editor's note: Raquel Welch is a Golden Globe-winning film, TV and stage actress who has starred in 45 films, including "The Three Musketeers," "Kansas City Bomber" and "Myra Breckinridge." On Broadway she starred in "Woman of the Year" and "Victor/Victoria"; and on TV in the Golden Globe-nominated miniseries "American Family." Her new book is Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage ]

A “YOU’RE TEACHING MY CHILD WHAT?!” MOMENT IN ONTARIO
An explicit new sex ed curriculum in the schools in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has provoked a strong reaction from parents, leading to its withdrawal. Discussion of homosexuality and sexual orientation was mandated for students as young as 7; masturbation in 6th grade and oral and anal sex the following year. The government now says parents will have more of a say in the upcoming revisions.
[12May2010, www.abstinence.net, http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/call_it_a_win_for_parents/]

GENERATION SCOLD: WHY MILLENNIALS ARE SO JUDGMENTAL ABOUT PROMISCUITY
The newest development is the judgment heaped on men for bad behavior. Women's judgment of adultery and promiscuity in men has become far harsher…Women now hold men to the same stringent sexual standards that they themselves have long been held to. Even men are beginning to judge other men for promiscuity. What this points to is the end of a great American tradition: the double standard.
[12May2010, www.abstinence.net, http://www.slate.com/id/2250706/ by Jessica Grose]

THE UNEXPECTED ADDICT: WOMEN AND PORN
Usually associated with men, porn addiction is becoming more common among women, according to this New York Times article about recovery efforts promoted by churches and other ministries. Girls exposed to graphic sexual media at an early age frequently grow into women unable to walk away from the stuff without help, even when it destroys relationships and feelings of self-worth.
[12May2010, www.abstinence.net, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/us/03addiction.html]

INTENTIONAL PARENTING: TEACHING HEALTHY SEXUALITY
Family counselor Rob Jackson shares the most important concept about raising children to healthy adulthood: Take the time and effort to build a strong bond with your child. His faith-based perspective applies equally in secular settings: There are no shortcuts to teaching both what to think and how to think about relationships and sexuality. More practical advice:

The Golden Rule teaches us to think of how we would like to be treated if we were the other person… Our children desperately need us to stop and assess how we would want to be…equipped if we were children in today's world, knowing what we know as adults. If you don't understand the dangers and temptations facing your children at all ages, one of the best gifts you can give your child is a sincere attempt to learn as much as you can about youth culture and the lies so often promulgated by it.
[12May2010, www.abstinence.net, http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/sexuality/teaching_children_healthy_sexuality.aspx]

TEXAS OP-ED TAKES HONEST LOOK AT ABSTINENCE MESSAGE
Don't buy into the media mantra that "abstinence doesn't work." Decide if abstinence-centered programs reflect your community's values. Then support those messages throughout the community – in schools, homes, youth organizations and faith settings. Change our nation's youth culture and prevent teen pregnancy, beginning with your local community.
[12May2010, www.abstinence.net, by Dan Bailey, http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-bailey_03edi.State.Edition1.1ae7692.html]

I'M WORTH WAITING FOR TATTOOS
These temporary tattoos, simply attached with water, are a great way for teens to make a statement about their decision for abstinence until marriage. Perfect for youth presentations as giveaway items or fair displays to draw people in to your booth!
Call 888-577-2966 to order or log on to www.abstinence.net

PSYCHOLOGIST: SEXUAL LYRICS ENCOURAGE GIRLS TO EXPERIMENT
Psychologist Jane McCartney (UK) has issued a strong warning about the damage that sexually explicit pop music can inflict on teenage girls: “I think it is making children think this social behaviour is the norm and the danger is when you have girls listening to girls singing about it.”
[4May10, www.abstinence.net, http://www.christian.org.uk/news/sexual-lyrics-lead-young-girls-astray/)


THE PILL AT 50: SEX, FREEDOM, AND PARADOX
There's no such thing as "the Car" or "the Shoe" or "the Laundry Soap." But everyone knows "the Pill," whose FDA approval 50 years ago rearranged the furniture of human relations in ways that we've argued about ever since.
[4May10, www.abstinence.net, Nancy Gibbs, Time Magazine, Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1983712-1,00.html#ixzz0mpu10SBc


WASHINGTON TIMES: STDs ARE PANDEMIC IN US
Times columnist Cheryl Wetzstein reports on the frightening appearance of resistant strains of gonorrhea and the losing battle against syphilis in the US. Her alarm is based on information in an ironically-titled article by the long-time "safe sex" promoter, William Smith (Former director of SIECUS): “What I Didn’t Know about Sexual Health.” Perhaps what Mr. Smith didn’t know was that even used correctly, contraception is an unreliable preventer of stds and promoting it often results in more, not fewer, infected young people.
For more on the “doomsday scenario” of incurable gonorrhea infections, go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36229547/from/ET
[4May10, www.abstinence.net, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/27/wetzstein-sounding-alarm-on-gonorrhea/print/ ]


LEGISLATION PROPOSES U.S. SUPPORT FOR UNHEALTHY SEX ED
Keep an eye on the Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act of 2010, introduced in the US House of Representatives last week. It would require US foreign assistance policy to promote comprehensive sexual and reproductive health programs—condoms and abortion—to youth around the world. [4May10, www.abstinence.net]

More New Moms Unmarried, Older: Study Shows 40 Percent are Single; Most Have at Least Some College Education

New mothers in the U.S. are increasingly older and better educated than they were two decades ago, according to a study on the state of American motherhood released Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

But that doesn't mean women are waiting for just the right moment: The study also found that half of mothers surveyed said that parenthood "just happened."

While most women giving birth are doing it within the context of marriage, the study found a record 41 percent of births were to unmarried women in 2008. That's up from 28 percent in 1990, according to the study, "The New Demography of American Motherhood." The trend crossed major racial and ethnic groups.

Nearly 14 percent of mothers of newborns were 35 or older two years ago — and only about 10 percent were in their teens. The age trend was reversed in 1990, when teens had a 13 percent share of births.

"I think everyone will welcome a decline in births to teens," said D'Vera Cohn, a senior writer on the study. "It's notable that the population of teens is larger than it used to be, so there were more who could have become teen mothers."

Today, one in seven babies is born to a mother at least 35 years old. In 1990, one in 11 had a mother in that age group.

Most mothers of newborns (54 percent) had at least some college education in 2006, an increase from 41 percent in 1990. Among mothers 35 or older, 71 percent had at least some college education.

Improvements in medical care and fertility treatment, along with marriage and childbearing postponed to seek additional education, all factor into the shifts.

"The rise in women's education levels has changed the profile of the typical mother of a newborn baby," the report said. Cohn added that a lower share of mothers ended their education after high school, "so some of those mothers who would have been high school graduates in 1990 have some college education today."

The report is based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, along with a telephone survey in April 2009 of about 1,000 parents, likely parents and other adults of both genders.

Overall, there were 4.3 million births in the U.S. in 2008, compared with 4.2 million in 1990. The number had risen each year from 2003 to 2007, then dipped in an apparent link to the economic downturn, the researchers said.

When American parents are asked why they decided to have a child, most cite "The joy of having children," the researchers found. For nearly half of parents, though, an important explanation is: "It wasn't a decision; it just happened."

...Multiple births associated with the trend toward older motherhood were up sharply, including a 70 percent increase in the twin birth rate from 1980 to 2004.

"Not only are women in their 30s more likely than younger women to conceive multiples on their own, they also are more likely to undergo fertility treatments, which are linked to births of multiples," the researchers said. [updated 6May2010, LEANNE ITALIE, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36969804/ns/health-womens_health/?ns=health-womens_health ]


Online Directory of Abstinence Resources
This Directory serves as a resource to get the word out about abstinence education and materials from all over the globe! If you're looking for a curriculum, speaker, publication or research, look no further - you've found a comprehensive list of abstinence until marriage education materials! Visit http://www.abstinence.net/directory/

Here Today, Gonorrhea Tomorrow...
 Chances are, Americans don't go through their days worrying about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). But considering the growing panic, perhaps they should.

According to the most knowledgeable experts on the issue, the spread of STDs may be the biggest crisis that no one knows about.

Cheryl Wetzstein of the Washington Times tackled the issue today in a must-read article about these silent killers. She quotes William Smith, head of the National Coalition of STD Directors, at length about a monster strain of gonorrhea and how it could affect every corner of the country.

In his words, we are on the "verge of a highly untreatable" outbreak of the disease. Some have characterized it as the next "superbug" because it appears to be almost completely resistant to antibiotics. Even the Centers for Disease Control have "just a single class of antibiotics left to treat it."

Another STD that's worming its way through the States is syphilis, which seems to be claiming the lives of young babies who are victims of mother-to-child transmission. In the most developed country in the world, newborns accounted for 431 of the 13,500 cases of syphilis in 2008.

"Where is the outcry," Smith asks? Despite first-rate health care, Americans are dealing with third-world infection rates. In comparison to the hysteria over H1N1, Wetzstein wonders why Washington isn't taking the problem more seriously.

Since April of last year, 11,690 people have died of swine flu. Twenty thousand died of STDs in 2004 alone--yet there's no frenzy and seemingly no fury for fatalities that are entirely preventable. The U.S. pours millions into STD treatments when, unlike cancer, it can be avoided with simple behavioral changes! As FRC's Peter Sprigg pointed out, gonorrhea's resistant strains tend to show up first in men who have sex with men. We need to coach people to stop engaging in risky sex.

Unfortunately, in this age of sexual freedom, that's a message no one wants to deliver--particularly because it would mean disparaging promiscuity and homosexuality.

Pop culture wants to encourage intimacy with anyone at any time with complete disregard for the physical toll. It's as if sex were the new constitutional right.

But empowering people to pursue sexual satisfaction at any cost has left the nation in a position of vulnerability from which it might never recover.
[27Apr10, Family Research Council, frc.org]

THE QUIET REVOLUTION ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
There’s a quiet revolution happening on the nation’s school and college campuses. While the students still live in a sex-saturated culture, and while researchers claim that at least 75 percent of college students are part of the “hook-up” generation, more and more students are opting out of the sex scene. It is far too early to declare a new trend, but there are encouraging signs of a new respect for abstinence and dating, instead of recreational sex...
http://townhall.com/columnists/JaniceShawCrouse/2010/04/23/the_quiet_revolution_on_college_campuses

[26Apr2010, Janice Shaw Crouse, www.abstinence.net; http://www.abstinence.net/library/index.php?entryid=4692]


FORMER WILD CHILD SAYS TO RAISE AGE OF CONSENT

In a recent interview, Mandy Smith, the former wife of Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, describes her sexual relationship at 14 with the then-48-year-old rock star. They married when she was 18, only to divorce two years later. She favors raising the age of consent to 18 to protect vulnerable teens from the physical and emotional damage that steals their childhoods:

'My concern is that everything - clothes, films, talk - is so sexualized. The girls I talk to are under pressure to be a certain way. They think they should be having sex, living a certain life. I try to say to them: "Hold on. You don't have to do this." '

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1266664/Mandy-Smith-I-DID-sleep-Bill-Wyman-I-14--man-life-God.html#ixzz0mB5aaVga
[26Apr10, http://www.abstinence.net/library/index.php?entryid=4696 ]


SO MUCH MORE THAN SEXY

In his new faith-based book, “So Much More Than Sexy”, author Mark Atteberry dispels the modern myth that women are only attractive to men if they are sexy in appearance and in spirit.
Review: http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/books/carpenter_atteberry_morethansexy.aspx?cpid=EU_DD_2010_109
[26Apr10, http://www.abstinence.net/library/index.php?entryid=4699 ]

Unprotected 
Our campuses are steeped in political correctness-that's hardly news to anyone. But no one realizes that radical social agendas have also taken over campus health and counseling centers, with dire consequences.  In her book, Unprotected, Dr. Miriam Grossman takes issue with the experts who suggest that students problems can be solved with free condoms and Zoloft. What campus counselors and health providers must do, she argues, is tell uncomfortable, politically incorrect truths, especially to young patients in their most vulnerable and confused moments. Instead of platitudes and misinformation, it's time to offer them real protection.
Call 888-577-2966 to order or log on to www.abstinence.net