Changes

A '''virginity pledge''' is a commitment, usually made in a group, to practice [[abstinence]] until [[marriage]].  These pledges are usually symbolized by purity rings, or covenant cards.<ref>http://www.waitt.org/</ref>   

A '''virginity pledge''' is a commitment, usually made in a group, to practice [[abstinence]] until [[marriage]].  These pledges are usually symbolized by purity rings, or covenant cards.<ref>http://www.waitt.org/</ref>   

Christian scholars have put forth the rationale behind the Virginity Pledge movement, that success in life is correlated to respect for oneself, and respect for oneself begins with respect for one's one body. By teaching children to respect their bodies with regard to intimacy, it has been shown in studies that students are more likely to have a positive self-image and less likely to compromise their bodies with drugs and alcohol.  

Christian scholars have put forth the rationale behind the Virginity Pledge movement, that success in life is correlated to respect for oneself, and respect for oneself begins with respect for one's one body. By teaching children to respect their bodies with regard to intimacy, it has been shown in studies that students are more likely to have a positive self-image and less likely to compromise their bodies with drugs and alcohol.  

According to the [[Heritage Foundation]], teens who make virginity pledges enjoy the following life outcomes <ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/Abstinence/cda04-07.cfm</ref>:

According to the [[Heritage Foundation]], teens who make virginity pledges enjoy the following life outcomes:<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/Abstinence/cda04-07.cfm</ref>

*Are less likely to experience teen pregnancy;

*Are less likely to experience teen pregnancy;

*Will have fewer sexual partners.

*Will have fewer sexual partners.

[[Image:Virginity pledge.jpg|right]]

[[Image:Virginity pledge.jpg|right]]

In contrast, a study by Janet Elise Rosenbaum PhD, published in the January 2009 edition of the journal ''Pediatrics''<ref>Rosenbaum, Janet '''Patient Teenagers? A Comparison of the Sexual Behavior of Virginity Pledgers and Matched Nonpledgers''', ''Pediatrics'' 2009, vol 123, issue 1, e110-e120</ref>,addressed the sexual behavior of socially/religiously conservative students who signed a virginity pledge compared to the sexual behavior of socially/religiously conservative students who did not sign a pledge. This study found that pledgers and nonpledgers were not different in likelihood of premarital sex (53% vs 57%), age at first sex (21.2 vs 20.7), number of lifetime sexual partners (3.2 vs 3.5), and number of sexual encounters in the previous year (22.8 vs. 23.6). Overall there were no differences between the two groups in 12 of 14 measured sexual behaviors, 3 of 3 STD rates, and 4 of 4 marriage outcomes. The study did not address overall pregnancy rates, teen pregnancy rates, or birth rates. Rosenbaum found that pledgers did differ from socially similar nonpledgers in the following ways:

In contrast, a study by Janet Elise Rosenbaum PhD, published in the January 2009 edition of the journal ''Pediatrics'',<ref>Rosenbaum, Janet '''Patient Teenagers? A Comparison of the Sexual Behavior of Virginity Pledgers and Matched Nonpledgers''', ''Pediatrics'' 2009, vol 123, issue 1, e110-e120</ref> addressed the sexual behavior of socially/religiously conservative students who signed a virginity pledge compared to the sexual behavior of socially/religiously conservative students who did not sign a pledge. This study found that pledgers and nonpledgers were not different in likelihood of premarital sex (53% vs 57%), age at first sex (21.2 vs 20.7), number of lifetime sexual partners (3.2 vs 3.5), and number of sexual encounters in the previous year (22.8 vs. 23.6). Overall there were no differences between the two groups in 12 of 14 measured sexual behaviors, 3 of 3 STD rates, and 4 of 4 marriage outcomes. The study did not address overall pregnancy rates, teen pregnancy rates, or birth rates. Rosenbaum found that pledgers did differ from socially similar nonpledgers in the following ways:

*Unmarried pledgers were less likely to report using birth control and condoms over the last year;

*Unmarried pledgers were less likely to report using birth control and condoms over the last year;

==references==

==References==

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[[Category:Abstinence Campaigns]]

[[Category:Abstinence Campaigns]]

{{Conservatism}}

{{Conservatism}}