Ever since the city decided to make sex ed for public school students mandatory, conservatives have been freaking out about the end of innocence, etc. But a new study released by the International Planned Parenthood Federation proves just how important sex ed really is, by highlighting a scary failure to provide young people with sexual health information and services.
The "Clueless or Clued-Up" survey, which involved over 5,000 young people around the world, found that the number of people having sex in the US without contraception with a new partner has skyrocketed since 2009, up from 38 percent to 53 percent. 24 percent of Americans said that they couldn't access contraception when they needed it, and the stats from other parts of the world are even worse: in Egypt, 36 percent of the population believes that showering after sex is an effective form of contraception, over half of the young people in Europe receive sex ed in school, and 42 percent of the people polled in Asia Pacific claim they're too embarrassed to ask a healthcare professional for contraception. In the words of Bubbie: oy.
“The survey results show high levels of unprotected sex amongst young people coupled with poor knowledge of effective contraceptive options and alarmingly inadequate comprehensive sexuality and relationships education," said Doortje Braeken, who leads the IPPF's work on youth and sexuality. "We do know that when young people receive good, comprehensive, age-appropriate, medically accurate sex education they delay first sexual contact, and make healthier, better decisions if and when they do become sexually active," Planned Parenthood of New York rep Erica Sackin told us this afternoon. "New York City has some of the highest STD rates, and unplanned pregnancy rates, in the country," she added. Come on, sex ed can be educational and fun—just ask this lady!
