What is an abstinence-based approach to sex education?

An abstinence-based approach to sex education focuses on teaching young people that abstaining from sex until marriage is the best means of ensuring that they avoid infection with HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. As well as seeing abstinence from sex as the best option for maintaining sexual health, many supporters of abstinence-based approaches to sex education also believe that it is morally wrong for people to have sex before they are married.

Abstinence approaches are represented in programmes such as Project Reality and True Loves Waits (both developed in the US), which aim to teach young people that they should commit to abstain from sex until marriage

How does this differ from comprehensive sex education?

The main difference between abstinence-based and comprehensive approaches to sex education is that comprehensive approaches do not focus either solely or so closely on teaching young people that they should abstain from sex until they are married. And although they do explain to young people the potential benefits of delaying having sex until they are emotionally and physically ready, they also make sure that they are taught how to protect themselves from infections and pregnancy when they do decide to have sex.

Examples of what programmes of comprehensive sex education comprise include SHARE (Sexual Health and Relationships: Safe, Happy and Responsible) in the UK and the guidelines produced by SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States) in the US