3. Five reasons to choose
abstinence
Anyone can do it
Your chances of getting an STI are greatly
reduced.
Wait until you’re ready, not your partner
Better academic performance
Helps you avoid a bad reputation
4. Five consequences of risky
behaviors
Pregnancy
Depression
STIs
Abuse
Financial dependency
5. Five statistics
Although 15–24-year-olds represent only one-quarter of the
sexually active population, they account for nearly half (9.1
million) of the 18.9 million new cases of STIs each year
In 2005, New Mexico had the highest teenage pregnancy
rate (93 per 1,000); rates in Nevada, Arizona, Texas and
Mississippi followed. The lowest rates were in New
Hampshire (33), Vermont, Maine, Minnesota and North
Dakota.
Six percent of teen mothers aged 15–19 received late or no
prenatal care.
Babies born to teens are more likely to be low-birth-weight
In 2006–2008, the most common reason that sexually
inexperienced teens gave for not having had sex was that
it was “against religion or morals.”
6. Five ways to stay abstinent
Don’t reconsider while aroused- wait until you
can think clearly
Learn how to protect yourself in case you do
change your mind. Many teens who don’t
stick with abstinence don’t know how to stay
safe
Explain clearly to your partner why you made
the choice that you did.
Remind yourself why you chose abstinence
Try not to use drugs or alcohol, which impair
your judgment.
7. Five alternatives to risky sexual
activity
Talkingand listening
Mutual respect
Hugging/kissing
Hand holding
Dancing
8. Sex doesn’t mean love
You can be in love without having
sex, and vice versa.
9. Drugs and alcohol often
influence decisions regarding
sex
Drugs and alcohol change the way your
brain works.
They make it harder to make educated
decisions and impair good judgment.
10. Having a baby means you
have financial responsibility for
the next 18 years
You have to pay for your child’s
food, clothes, and school materials, as
well as everything else they need, until
they are legally an adult.
11. If they say, “You would if you love me”
they probably don’t or else they would
respect your decision and not try to
pressure you.
In a safe, healthy
relationship, you should
never feel pressured into
doing something you
aren’t comfortable with.
12. Teenagers are often told by
peers, “Everyone is doing it”.
They’re not!
Peerpressure alone is never a good
reason to do anything.
