I don’t mean if they enjoy it or not, but avoiding the consequences. By way of Dana Goldstein, we find this chart illustrating the teen pregnancy rate of various countries:
Goldstein:
We can only gesture toward the myriad factors causing this problem, but here are some likely ones: lack of knowledge about and access to affordable contraception (one in five sexually active teenage girls do not use any kind of birth control); lack of access to abortion-providers in 87 percent of American counties; increased immigration from nations where teen pregnancy is more the norm; and even high poverty rates that cause some girls to see motherhood as the only viable path to adulthood, since a college education and decent job are unavailable to them.
The best way we could reduce the teen pregnancy rate is to grow up and realize that we are a nation of sluts–premarital sex is endemic.
Because this should not be an instance of American Exceptionalism.
mikethemadbiologist
I think it’s got something to do with speaking English; look at 1, 2, 4, and 5. Maybe it’s our awesome cultural influence, more easily transmitted through a common language.
I find it very interesting to compare the U.S. teen pregnancy rates with those of Canadian teens. Is the sex ed in Canada that much better than in the U.S.?
The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education
From what I recall we had age-appropriate sex-ed at various times (ranging from “If anyone touches you in these areas tell a trusted adult or police officer” to “Girls, if he tells you he doesn’t want to wear a condom because they’re too small RUN AWAY” (while putting condom over his entire forearm)).
“premarital sex is endemic.”
Huh? Premarital sex is not a disease.
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