CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (June 25, 2008) – Last week claims that a group of sophomore girls made a pact to get pregnant together at Gloucester High School in Massachusetts. left Americans shocked. This week the authenticity of the pact is being questioned, leaving many wondering why 17 girls at one school are pregnant if there was in fact, no pact.
“Whether or not there was a pact, this story illustrates a teenager’s need for committed, consistent support and this should be a call to action for parents, government and communities to address these needs,” said Lesley Scearce, Executive Director of Why Know. “Teen sex is usually not about sex at all. Teenagers often confess that they are engaging in sexual activity because of some deeper issue like lack of self esteem, peer pressure or even depression.”
The Gloucester pregnancy pact has drawn attention to Hollywood and the media increasingly glamorizing pregnancy and in many cases, unwed pregnancy. Recently InStyle Magazine ran an article featuring celebrity couples who are pregnant. Out of the ten featured couples, four were unmarried. Jessica Alba, Nicole Richie, Ashlee Simpson and Jamie Lynn Spears are just a handful of young, celebrities who have become pregnant outside of marriage in the past year.
“Many teenage girls look up to celebrities and view them as role models,” said Scearce. “When they see celebrities who are unmarried getting pregnant and have a minimal impact on their career, it sends the message that having a baby isn’t a major responsibility. What they don’t see is how much time, money and patience it takes to care for a child.”
A study conducted by The Institute for Research and Evaluation in Salt Lake City, Utah found that abstinence programs targeting teen attitudes, values, efficacy and goals regarding abstinence, sexuality and relationships produce significant, long-term reductions in adolescent sexual activity. Programs such as Why Know’s Comprehensive Abstinence Program and the Road to Excellence strive to provide teens with this type of holistic support by addressing needs such as academic achievement, support, family, life skills, vision and self discipline. Locally, this strategy is working. Since Why Know’s inception the teen pregnancy rate in Hamilton County has decreased 72 percent.
About Why Know:
Why KnowAbstinence Education, Inc. is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Why Know works to build healthy teens by providing knowledge, support and life skills for a successful future. Why Know serves 57 schools in Hamilton, Catoosa, Dade, Gordon, Walker and Whitfield Counties. Its curriculum is used in 40 states and 11 countries. Since Why Know’s inception, the local teen pregnancy rate has decreased 72 percent. For more information about Why Know, visit www.whyknow.org or call 423.899.9188.
