Honolulu Star-Bulletin Examines Abstinence Programs In Hawaii

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology;  Public Health
Article Date: 13 Nov 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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The Honolulu Star-Bulletin on Monday examined abstinence-only sex education programs in Hawaii led by the Boys and Girls Club of Honolulu and Catholic Charities. According to Catholic Charities Program Director Danny Morishige and other proponents of abstinence-only education, the programs are effective when they are part of a larger peer-group lesson on how to make good life decisions. "The basic concept is most important," Morishige said, adding, "I think most parents would not want children in their early teens to be engaging in sex. If anything, we're reinforcing some of the messages."

Kathy Nishimoto, grant administrator for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, said its prevention-based SMART Moves Curriculum "helps youth practice positive behavior and good decision-making." According to Nishimoto, "The program has been successful because we are providing youth with tools for making positive choices and developing healthy relationships that they can use throughout their lives." Nishimoto said that of more than 100 youths who participated in the program, two became pregnant. However, they are still club members and talk to others about the difficulties of teen parenting.

Morishige said that Catholic Charities' "Try Wait!" program serves about 4,000 students from seventh to 12th grade in public and private schools, as well as another 1,000 teenagers through community events and other activities. The non-faith-based program modified a national abstinence education curriculum to be more appropriate and culturally sensitive for local students, Morishige said. The eight-session program -- which mostly is held in health classes and some religion classes and youth groups -- covers the emotional consequences of casual sex, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, peer pressure, "making healthy choices," setting boundaries, how to say "no" and assertiveness skill building, according to the Star-Bulletin (Altonn, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 11/10).

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