Adolescent Sexual Health in Europe and the U.S.—Why the Difference?

Question

“Each summer since in 1998, Advocates for Youth and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte sponsor annual study tours to France, Germany, and the Netherlands to explore why adolescent sexual health outcomes are so much more positive in the three European countries than in the U.S. The study tour participants—policy makers, researchers, youth-serving professionals, foundation officers, and youth—have found that …In these nations, societal openness and comfort in dealing with sexuality, including teen sexuality, and pragmatic governmental policies create greater, easier access to sexual health information and services for all people, including teens. Easy access to sexual health information and services leads to better sexual health outcomes for French, German, and Dutch teens when compared to U.S. teens.

Answer 1

A. Looks like that website belongs to a lobby group.

I would love to know who funds them.

B. Shows a lot of stats but no sources.

I'm not saying they're not true, but it lacks credibility.

Answer 2

Because the U.S. is too politically correct to view s*x like that were it can be beneficial for not just teens, but society in general. You got these religious conservatives who think things like s*x ed and open access to sexual information is "evil" and that it "corrupts our children" etc.

Should it come to no surprise then that teen pregnancy rates in Europe are a lot less than the U.S.? We need to do a lot more than what were doing right now to educate not just teens, but people in general about s*x.

Besides, s*x is a natural thing. It just happens.

Answer 3

Because they don't have Bible Thumpers forcing ridiculous "abstinence only" education into schools, which has been proven not to work.

Answer 4

You can thank abstinence-only education for that. Telling horny teens not to have s*x until marriage and giving them no other information is going to have disastrous results. That's because they get often inaccurate information from their friends, they have no knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases or how to prevent pregnancy, and have no way of knowing how and what to look for in sexual predators.

Answer 5

Because they don't have religious entities driving s*x education.   Abstinence policies don't serve our youth well.    s*x is a normal, natural part of life.