Wednesday
Mar122008
Half of Black Teen Girls Have a Sexually Transmitted Disease
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 5:55AM The Blogmother
Now pause and let that marinate for a minute. HALF! Now granted the sample size was 800 girls in the study, but the CDC is reporting that one in four teen girls is infected with an STD- That is bad, but when they break it down by race, it is heart breaking:
This means Black teenage girls are more than TWICE as likely to have an STD than their White and Hispanic counterparts. Now the most frequent occurrence in HPV, but if they contracted HPV, they could have easily have contracted HIV or something else that the Dr. can't give you a shot for.
I suspect that all of the sex education in the world won't convince some girls to protect themselves when vying for the "attention" of a male...any male. In a world where young Black girls are bombarded my messages that the only thing they have to offer is their bodies. In a world where older men and boys are targeting teen girls without the judgment to realize that in exchange for the "attention"of a male, any male, they are risking their mental health, their fertility and their lives...this isn't a crisis of condoms, it is a crisis of conscience.
Um, now when are they going to do the study on boys?
An estimated 3.2 million U.S. girls ages 14 and 19 -- about 26 percent of that age group -- have a sexually transmitted infection such as the human papillomavirus or HPV, chlamydia, genital herpes or trichomoniasis, the CDC said.
Forty-eight percent of black teen-age girls were infected, compared to 20 percent of whites and 20 percent of Mexican American girls. The report did not give data on the broader U.S. Hispanic population.
"What we found is alarming," the CDC's Dr. Sara Forhan, who led the study, told reporters. "This means that far too many young women are at risk for the serious health effects of untreated STDs, including infertility and cervical cancer."Reuters
This means Black teenage girls are more than TWICE as likely to have an STD than their White and Hispanic counterparts. Now the most frequent occurrence in HPV, but if they contracted HPV, they could have easily have contracted HIV or something else that the Dr. can't give you a shot for.
I suspect that all of the sex education in the world won't convince some girls to protect themselves when vying for the "attention" of a male...any male. In a world where young Black girls are bombarded my messages that the only thing they have to offer is their bodies. In a world where older men and boys are targeting teen girls without the judgment to realize that in exchange for the "attention"of a male, any male, they are risking their mental health, their fertility and their lives...this isn't a crisis of condoms, it is a crisis of conscience.
Um, now when are they going to do the study on boys?
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On top of the recent statistics showing that 70% of HIV/AIDS cases are black women and girls, I have to add THIS!!!
It really is intervention time. What should we do to mobilize? I recently reported about HIV/AIDS awareness on my blog, and one of my commenters mentioned that the month of April will be a good time to mount a national/international campaign, starting with the wearing of pink and purple ribbons to raise awareness (pink for our little girls and purple for their maturing and development into strong women).
I'd love to brainstorm with others on creating a national movement around this issue.
They will never do a study on boys because well "boys will be boys" - *roll eyes*
This is really alarming. I think I'll do a post on this today. Thanks for this post Gina.
Checking the boys won't do any good anyway. Most of those black girls aren't sexing black boys, they're sexing black MEN. That's why the rates are so high and that's why condom usage is so low. Unless and until we get serious about statutory rape in our community we'll continue to see these insane rates.
What pisses me off is, they want girls to be vaccinated when it is males who carried the HPV virus in their dicks and give it to girls! The males should be vaccinated! Little nasty bastards.
Look, people, you're asking too much. Men, old and young, aren't supposed to be sexually responsible, don't cha know? They are not supposed to exhibit self-control and have accountability. That's why we have to lay the guilt trip on the womenfolk. Because the young girls are forcing themselves on these men and boys! They should know better! Shouldn't be so fast!
Studies are so sketchy and I say this only because of the sad fact that I instantly thought "48% can easily be on the low side."
We need to teach our kids the most dangerous boogeyman is often someone they know. And they will use the most wonderful words to lure them. And use tactics an immature mind confuses for love and acceptance.
Early education is part of the answer...perhaps alot earlier than many of us were officially 'informed'. This statistic is depressing- when added to our high rates of cancer; domestic violence; rape...etc., the bleak path continues.
I wonder how many of these STD were from female-to-female transmissions?
And don't forget, they were only testing for HPV, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, herpes and HIV. If they'd gone old-school and looked for gonorrhea, syphilis and crabs it would've been considerably higher. Young people are less likely to have those diseases, but given the fact that young black girls are so often with older men I'd bet they have those too.
I have to say that I'm very suspicious about all of these studies that come out that ALWAYS make Black people the most-infected, most-diseased, most-this, and most-that. Especially Black women. Personally, I find it highly-suspect that rarely, if ever, do we hear about Black people being the most-of anything if it's positive or healthy.
All reports and statistics about us are always negative - just like the MSNBC "state of Black women" charade - instead of celebrating the fact that many are doing well in school, careers, etc., the whole story was given a negative, woe-is-me, aggressive-black-woman spin. Sorry, but I stopped believing the reports from the CDC and every other so-called "reliable" source a long time ago.
Are STD's a large problem in America and the world? Most definitely! Is it a problem in the black community? Definitely. But do we disproportionately suffer from them in comparison to everyone else? Honestly, I have my doubts. For all the black women that can point out their STD's, there are just as many other women who can do the same thing.
I'm not hiding my head in the sand and saying "no, not us", but why does EVERYTHING always cast us as the standard for no standards? I'm sorry, I think the study is a load of crap. Based on a sample of 800 people (probably all of a similar lifestyle), I will definitely not take as the god given truth. Lies, damn lies, and statistics. I'm sick and tired of being the scapegoat for everything bad and never recognized for anything good.
Lena, I am so with you!
I agree with Lena. So many black women I know are chaste and even if they are sexuality active, they use protection. I mean, I'm not an authority or anything, but the white girls I know are so much sexuality active than black women.
Lena, I concur with you 100%. Well said.
Lena,
I think you're reading too much into the study. I also think that you should probably not personalize the results of the study as well.
SOMETHING is happening because black people are indeed afflicted by many of these things in greater numbers.
I didn't see the study as scapegoating black people for ever disease; what I did see was a higher occurrence of young black girls who are participating in sexual activity that's already high-risk.
I would have liked to seen if the investigators also analyzed condom usage (or at least the ability to negotiate condom usage). What's very clear is that abstinence only based sex-ed is NOT effective.
Until we are ready to start having candid conversation about teens having sex, then I only see the problem getting worse.
-----------------------------------
On another note, March has been designated HIV / AIDS awareness month for women and girls.
Are the local health department and CBOs on your areas promoting this?
I know that the rates of STDs are high, and I didn't need the CDC to tell me. If you've ever shared a bathroom with teenaged girls, then you know immediately that many of them are infected. Trich in particular smells like hot garbage.
Further, I've spent a long time working with teenaged girls, and I know that a significantly higher percentage of them are with much older men. Relationships with older men are typified by a power differential that makes them less likely to use condoms.
I know at least a half dozen surprisingly young (mid-20s) black women who've developed cervical cancer. We all know that this typically comes from the HPV virus. I know others who've developed PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) before they're even out of their teens.
Bottom line is, I'm not surprised by the study, and we do ourselves a disservice when we have a kneejerk reaction every time this happens. Most deviance is going to be higher in the black community, period because we start out behind the eightball.
There have been numerous studies that demonstrate black women are less likely to insist on condom usage. Most of these studies are tied to the higher incidence of HIV in our community. Given that I've had girls who were HIV+ as young as 12, I hope no one questions this as well.
The time for action is now. Our young girls need some positive reinforcement and empowerment training. Otherwise we're going to have a lot of dead black women who haven't even reached their 20s.
I would be careful about discounting such statistics. Yes, I agree that the "spin" on these statistics are designed to make black women look bad, but it's what we do with the statistics.
I too know few black people in my circle who are STD and HIV infected, many who are church-raised and are sexually conservative (i.e. are celibate or monogamous). However, when I start volunteering and working with low-income black women and girls, things change dramatically.
In fact, what these statistics often leave out is that the black women who comprise these high statistics are also disproportionately low-income. Which means that poverty is a huge contributor to these health risks. Which of course no one wants to talk about, because when the problem is discussed as a "race" issue, then those of us who are not low-income are quick to dismiss the statistics because we "don't know anyone who fits the bill," and few low-income blacks are in a position to get proper information, let alone proper healthcare.
So, my focus would be on how to educate disadvantaged black girls who are at high risk, because they are the group that
1. are most economically dependent on a man.
2. are most at risk if they find themselves homeless (some who run away from bad situations at home) and entering into sex work.
3. are less likely to get adequate sex education and adequate healthcare.
I'm not surprised most of us here don't know anyone who fits the statistics, but I will assume that since most of us are bloggers (and therfore own computers and perhaps high-speed internet service to maintain our blogs), most of us are probably not "low income."
I think Roslyn brings up an important point. I really don't think those of us, even those of us who grew up in the hood, understand the ocean in between our life experience and that of other people. I had no idea how truly demented the world was until I started this blog and people started sharing their stories.
I remember substitute teaching after college and just being struck at how much things have changed. Fifth graders who could not do addition and subtraction.
Yes, it seems as if every study that comes out about Black women in negative, but you also have hints at stats that could be absolutely catastrophic if you extrapolate those stats out ten years. If the percentage is 48% now, what will it be in ten years and what does that mean for Black America.
I think a lot of us who thought they grew up poor don't realize that there are people who grew up poor-er whose world view and life experience is completely different .
I remember the South African government was very suspicious about HIV and AIDS and fiddled their thumbs and then the virus expolded. So while we do need to question the methodology and samle size, we also may need to acknowlege that the study could be a harbinger of a serious problem.
I don't see how the stats are making black women look bad. We need to know this information so that we can put ourselves back to where we belong - at the top. Education and awareness is needed - not just at the poverty level but for women of all classes. Just because you do have access to the resources doesn't mean that you are getting it. You can grow up in a nice home with educated, religious parents but still be infected with an STD.
Thanks to blkseagoat for letting us know that March is HIV / AIDS awareness month for women and girls. I did not even know that.
I agree with some that has been said about the effects of poverty. I work with mostly women, (Blacks and Hispanics) and I find that even with decent paying jobs, health insurance, transportation, etc., many are reluctant to go to the doctor- especially the 'gyn' unless pregnant...and even then some wait too long. Many minority women appear to have a 'fear' of medical attention or rely on old wives tales and remedies to bet well.
Cinco,
Harriett Washington talks about this in her book, Medical Apartheid.
@ blkseagoat;
I'll check into reading it. Thanks
Hello Everyone -
Blkseagoat, this is not a knee-jerk reaction, believe me I've thought about these things for years. Its just that I always find it amazing how easily Black people believe news and stats coming from sources that have proven time and time again that they do not have our best interest at heart. I never said that STD's don't exist in high rates in the black community.
In fact, I believe that to be just the opposite - the rates of STD's are high. All I'm saying is that they are just as high or higher among other people, including whites, as among blacks.
And anxious black women, I do not believe that having an education, high income or access to high-speed internet or blogs makes anyone less susceptible to behavior-based diseases. But these things do make one less susceptible to being exploited. Poorer, uneducated people are constantly prodded and poked, but are rarely able to effectively defend themselves against the results of numerous "studies".
I'm just saying to consider the source. Once it was reported that apartheid had purportedly "ended" in South Africa, the news heard from there changed from Nelson-Mandela-and-freedom to everyone-is-dying-of-AIDS (everyone black, that is). In a country where their "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" exposed chemical and biological warfare tactics against south africans, why would i believe anything coming out of their mouths?
Pardon me, but I will have more faith in these "studies" when more black people do the research, create the studies, and analyze the results vs. relying on the data of other people who have proven that their agenda is to look ever successful while making us look like failures at everything.
Sorry, I'm not convinced, and yes, I do believe their is an agenda to everything, especially in regard to black people in america.
But I love "whataboutourdaughters" and your work no matter regardless!
-peace
The issue of men and older teenagers preying on young women is something that shouldn't be overlooked.
But the much larger overriding issue is this thug Hip Hop culture....(I was about to write "Sub-culture"...but it's not such a Subset anymore)...
As long as the degenerate Black Rap/Hip Hop Culture dominates -- which encourages the embracing of the thug life, the stripper lifestyle, the criminal life, irresponsible sexual behavior, anti-intellectualism, anti-family attitudes, is anti-education, encourages young women to seek the thug/Bad Boy/Rapper/criminal, teaches girls that their worth = their bodies and that sex is the way to attract the thug male and to show affection, etc-- Then this problem is only going to get worse.
All the sex ed programs in the world wouldn't have much of an impact... they've already tried just about everything.
Beyonce, Ashanti, Lil Kim, Christina Milian, Alicia Keys and all the rest of that bunch... Janet Jackson too (90% of whom either are dating, or have dated rappers) are basically raising your daughters. These are the women who they want to emulate.
Unfortunately... too many Black women still have blinders on...and see no problem with the current Black thug culture...not realizing the impact that it is having. Either that...or they are in denial.
If the study didn't consist of a random sample of women then the results can't be generalized to the entire population. So, I think more details are needed on the study participants and data collection methods before we jump to conclude that it applies to the whole US population and thus all Black American women. But I do think that whenever there are negative things like STDs and drugs in society, they negatively affect minorities disproportionately.
Lena,
How do you know that black people DIDN'T conduct the studies?
The director of the CDC's HIV/TB/STD division is black. Does that now in some way make the study more valid?
How do you know that black epidemiologists, statisticians, and Infectious Disease experts had little or no involvement in creating the experimental design, data collection, and report writing?
You claim that you don't have your head in the sand, but denial is a powerful thing. And yes, the prevalence of disease is higher in the African American community in relation to our population for a number of factors.
You can dispute the findings in some studies, but this isn't one of them. You can also manipulate figures to support your initial hypotheses, but this hasn't been done.
I fear the numbers are actually higher and that thousands of young black girls are living with STIs they aren't receiving treatment for, because of denial.
The other purpose that these studies serve is to sound an alarm. It's not enough to get tested and treated, but we need (as everyone else has stated plainly) to start addressing the psychological and social reason this is happening to us. Those discussions can't be had without talking about behavior as well.
Denial gets people infected and keeps them out of care. Denial hastens preventable death and decimates our communities.
I don't view the study as negative or positive. It is what it is and we've got to start acting to change this tide NOW.
Here id the link to the actual CDC Study. The results of teenage girls were the only one reported to mainstream media.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/trends2006.htm
Sorry... right here too. This includes the actual Survey conducted in 2003-2004.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/nhanes2003-2004/nhanes03_04.htm
http://www.click2houston.com/news/15234153/detail.html
Not to say too much because I don’t want folks googling and finding me. But the above is about a member in my extended-ex-family. I feel for his mother because this case has literally caused her to breakdown, she has been in the hospital a few times. Anyway, I do not feel sorry for him. He was told several times (after having sex with this girl) to leave her alone, by her mother and his police captain. But he continued to do it. It is my understanding he first met the girl on a suicide call. So here was this 16-year-old girl, depressed, messed up, and his 33 year old took advantage of the situation. For shame.
Don't even get me started on his wife "standing behind him."
Good grief.
http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/6069-02.pdf" REL="nofollow">Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care
Kitty at least he got 14 years... you can take solace in that.
If I'm not mistaken blkseagoat, several of the directors or assistant directors at the CDC are black. There's quite a few black scientists at the CDC and at the NIH. Most of the epidemiologists in this country are funneled through one or both of these agencies at some point in their careers. There are special programs of college reimbursement so that the feds will get their hands on top-notch scientists. This is presumably why so many of the black and other minority scientists wind up at the CDC and NIH. (What can I say, I did a lot of research on both for my most recent manuscript.)
As I said in my post, I don't know this from studies, I know this from direct experience in 15 years of working with teenaged girls. That's not to say that black girls are having more sex. Indeed, in my experience black girls tend to have less sex. It's a function of who they're having sex with and the power differential in the relationships.
Kitty, the shame of it is that it's not that unusual. Go to any low-income black neighborhood in this country and you'll find grown-assed men pursuing girls who have barely reached puberty.
One of the girls I worked with who was HIV+ at 12 told me she sexed the man because he agreed to pay their utility bills. The family was pissed with me for trying to have him prosecuted.
One of the girls I worked with who was HIV+ at 12 told me she sexed the man because he agreed to pay their utility bills. The family was pissed with me for trying to have him prosecuted.
You just nailed the problem here! As much as hip-hop culture does nothing for black communities, it does explain why so much emphasis is placed on sex and sexuality. It really is the main arena for men to exert power and oppression (and why women, who think they can dominate by being sexy, fall for the myth).
Roslynholcomb -
"Go to any low-income black neighborhood in this country and you'll find grown-assed men pursuing girls who have barely reached puberty."
and you can't find this in low-income (and high) white and other neighborhoods? Child molestors and predators are by no means just black.
You're possibly more aware of the black ones because you live or work around mostly black people?
blkseagoat -
I think it is untrue that there are high numbers of black scientists/researchers/policy makers at the NIH and CDC, according to many sources. I live in the DC-area and many of these organizations have minimal numbers of black people. Please see this article entitled "Where are the Black Scientists?" by Amri Johnson. http://careers.the-scientist.com/index.cfm?attributes.fuseaction=news.display&ARTIClE_ID=805
The author points out that although blacks make up over 12% of the general U.S. population, "African Americans, however, are hardly represented at all among scientists in the United States working on these problems, either at the bench or in the clinic."
In fact, blacks comprised just "1% of the total number of tenured and tenure-track investigators at the top 50 academic institutions in the United States" and "represent less than 1% of all tenured investigators, and 1.5% of all tenure-track investigators at the NIH."
The numbers are reported to be much worse than in the 1990's, and the numbers were still low at 2% and 4.5% respectively.
Of course, it can always be argued that the figures come from another one of these "studies", but if we're going to use stats from other people, why not use all of them.
African American teens represent 50% of STD cases and African Americans represent less than 1.5% of researchers/scientist/policy makers? Hmmmmmmmmm..... Consider the source, That's all I'm saying.
I'm not hiding in the sand, and I know many people in the U.S. who have had STD's and I have worked in the area of public health overseas.
The problem of STD's is the same everywhere and needs to be addressed aggressively. While we have a thug culture that contributes to the problem (among other issues), Asia, Eastern Europe, and parts of the Middle East has widespread sex slavery that is just as detrimental as any thug culture. Older men preying on young girls and boys is worldwide and is not limited to or more pronounced in the africana merican community. But the facts are reported differently depending on politics, racism, etc.
-peace 2 all
BlkSeaGoat said:
Denial gets people infected and keeps them out of care. Denial hastens preventable death and decimates our communities.
~~~~~~~
Its not that I"m in denial of the problem. I just question the reasoning, the relation to others that always gots to be put out.
I just think that the angle that would best help the BC is not being focused.
All of you are saying the problem is that the girls are being taken by adult males. Those of you saying that are IN there, in the know.
From just reading the outer limits of the study from this blog, you'd think --all things being equal, black girls, blah blah blah. End of story.
Lena, obviously I see more white girls than I see black. That's how I know that white girls are more sexually active and at an earlier age than black girls.
I also know, that most of the time the white girls are sexing boys more or less in their own age group. The black girls are more likely to be with an older man. I've seen this time and time again. And unlike the black girls, I've never seen the family approve of this behavior, or dismiss it as the girl being 'fass.'
In the white community they look at these men as, and refer to them as child molesters and predators. This doesn't happen with black people, and that is the difference.
I've been in countless homes pursuing these cases, even when the girl gets pregnant, you are hard-pressed to find anyone who is willing to cooperate. With white people, especially if the girl gets pregnant the people are up in arms.
I've seen this time and again, and have little doubt that it accounts for much of the disparity in the statistics.
roslynholcomb -
I don't know what kinds of white girls you know, because these are not the kinds I went to high school with. They were always with older men while the black girls were not. And yes, the black people I knew and know to this day called a molestor a molestor. You've fallen for the hype just because you're around one type of black female.
And do you really think the Jerry Springer-type whites that are so common now raise a cry over their daughters being impregnated by an older male? They are as complicit as you say the families of black girls are. (Although they do advocate for abortions much more than black families).
But I'm off this subject for now, because there is no point in debating a point that is based on our own individual experiences. Your experience is different from mine and completely valid, but is the accepted and preferred experience for the mainstream. Your version of us bad-off black girls is the story that always gets told, and so be it.
Either way, thanks to "whataboutourdaughters" for having such thought-provoking topics. This is my first time jumping into the fray, and I gotta say I'll definitely be back!
-peace 2 all
Hi Everyone,
This topic is especially troubling for me b/c I am a 24-year-old black women living with an STD. I was diagnosed with the STD when I was 19. Since then, I've been trying to figure out how and why this happened and how to stop it from continuing to happen to the young women that I care about.
As I read some of the posts, I'm thinking to myself, "does anyone have a clue, including me about what's going on here?" According to the statistics, we are among the higest percentage of women with HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases. But regardless of whether or not the statistics are skewed or unbelievable, the truth is, black women are living with STDs.
Before checkin' out this website, I was just in my bathroom shedding tears about my lack of self-worth and living with an STD, even though I've had it for about 5 years now. I'm worried b/c there are women out there just like me when I was fifteen ... lost, easily persuaded, no sense of self-worth, lack of consciousness, and a lack of a healthy family structure. I've never been one to blame, but a part me wants to blame the older men who didn't say NO to me, but tried to have sex with me. I want to blame my friends who were already having sex at the time, whose parents were fully aware of late night college parties and drinking. I want to blame my family for not stepping in and showing me different. But who is to blame? Is it us? The young women who lose their way? Should I blame anyone other than me? Is it just plain ol' stupidity? Upbringing?? Where are the answers?
I've been tryin' to figure this thing out for some time now, and there are a couple of things I realized about myself, but I often wonder if it's the real reason behind our actions.
For me, it boiled down to a couple of things, but the biggest lesson for me is that, a lot of young black men have no sense of self. I don't know if it's b/c we're not being taught, or what, but we don't learn at a young age the truest and deepest sense of the wonderful, smart, and powerful Queens that we are. We're too busy trying to dodge other issues that eat away at our very soul before we're given a chance to show who God created us to be. This is the biggest tragedy!!!!!
I had sex for the first time when I was fifteen with a high school crush and eventually I was having mindless sex with different guys every couple of months. Until this very day, I don't know why. There were men who knew that I was only 15, 16, or 17 ... men who were much older (mid twenties or so), but had no problem with sleeping with me. I often wish now that one of those men would have cared enough about me to say, "You're better than this," and walked away b/c I didn't care enough about me. Sometimes, I was just too stupid to say NO to having unprotected sex. Wish I knew why I would do that to myself too?
I've heard so many give me the psycho-babble about "daddy issues" but is that the real problem are girls are facing? What's going on? Is it b/c we're not raised to believe we're worth more?
There's so much that I want to say, but I can't type it all. How can we help before they end up in a situation like me? How do we reach them before it's too late. The sad thing is, I wonder if someone could have reached me by 14 or 15 if everything leading up to those years were already a part of me?
I just want so much more for my young sistas now that I've had to learn the hard way.
The focus should be on how do we help the young black women but no one has mentioned that. We have a real issue here.
Anxious black woman, I would love to chat with you since you're interested in brainstorming.
wow, freedomsong, thanks for sharing!
Self-esteem definitely is part of the problem, and I appreciate you addressing this.
I also know believe that if black families showed their daughters more love, there would be opportunities to develop self-esteem and worth.
How many young girls enter into sexual relationships because it's the only way they could get hugged or cuddled, for example?
I'd love to chat more and brainstorm more, maybe plot some strategies in the coming month?
ABW, I don't know, but here are some of the things I've tried and seen work. My experience is that girls who have a concerned adult in their lives are less likely to engage in this type behavior. It's a tough line though, because you have to be sincere and not preachy. Kids tune that out rather quickly. Listening, and listening without judgment is the first step.
It's also good to get the girl involved in sports from a fairly early age. Sports are one of the best esteem builders I know. Unfortunately, many black girls are directed away from athletics for all the stereotypical reasons. However, if they can see the benefit of it, and an opportunity to excel it can be beneficial.
Simply telling these girls that they're great and wonderful doesn't really get at the core. Seeing their bodies work to achieve a goal can be extremely elevating to these young girls.
Obviously what they're reaching for is not sexual pleasure. Most of them don't have a clue no matter how many men they sleep with as to what that's about. They're looking for love and attention. If that can be channeled into other things that they're good at, then it's possible to create change.
This has to start early. Long before the girls reach high school. By then, it's usually too late and the predators have already started circling.
Besides the issue of the predatory men going after these girls in their teens, you have to understand that for many of them it begins much earlier than that. I will often ask a woman or girl when they first had sex, and they'll typically say 15 or 16. But when I probe further, asking about any type of sexual activity, they'll ruefully acknowledge that Uncle Ray Ray, or Cousin Jim Bob started 'messing' with them much earlier. Sometimes when they're still too young to even understand what was going on.
These activities are shattering to a child's self-esteem and leaves them with poor boundaries or understanding of their own sense of self. They were trained from an early age that their bodies are to be used for the sexual gratification of others, and they behave accordingly.
So, if we address the key issue here, childhood sexual abuse, prevention and treatment we can help defray some of the later issues.
Good points, roslyn. It makes me wonder how many young girls' "first time" was voluntary or coerced.
That is extremely sad. We need to educate these young people because obviously the sex education class one semester out of the year isnt doing it. I am also intrigued to see what the male study shows.
As-salaam alakum Family
One question and one suggetion.
Question: With all of the human trade in Mexico, and throughout Asia, how is it possible that only 20% of non-Black women have STD's? I belive that the Valtrex commercials were aimed at whites first precisely because that population has a high percentage of people with a very common problem. On top of it many people don't even know that they have diseases like Trich, Herpes, or HPV, though these are gateway that weaken the immune systems and make it easier to get HIV.
One solution:
This is a bibliograpy I give to parents of entering college students so that they can protect themselves.
The books I tried to choose, were frank, though conservative. Connie Jones' 'She's Leaving Home' has a particularly nice tone for the conservative. Unfortunately, it seems that far less energy is expended on the morality and health of boys.
Connie Jones. "She's Leaving Home: Letting Go As A Daughter Goes to College."
Richard D. Kadison and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo. "College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What to Do About It." - has some relevant advice for those students who went through honors... honors... honors... and more (aaaagh!) honors
Patricia Pasick. "Almost Grown: Launching Your Child From High School to College" - parents, if your teens are like me, they will think this is the corniest book on earth; however, my mom would have loved a book like this and she and dad got us all through, so....
Marjorie Savage. "You're On Your Own (But I'm Here if You Need Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Years" - I'm sure parents will love the 'how to teach basic financial responsibility' section; if you don't know it yet, college is expensive and credit card offers come in nearly every 'welcome' package
Suzette Tyler. "Been There, Should've Done That II: More Tips For Making the Most of College" - advice is short, sweet and to the point; it mentions parties, rushing, and how to get registered. Entering studenst should read it.
Huff, Toby. E. "The Rise of Early Modern Science: Islam, China and the West" - forget being a minority, this should accompany 'Blacks in Science Ancient and Modern,' edited by Ivan Van Sertima (born in Guyana, South America)
Andrew Garrod and Colleen Larimore, eds. "First person, First Peoples: Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories" - should inspire everyone of Native American descent