Other risks that come with having premarital sex are those of mental and emotional health. This can be seen in many teens who become pregnant and who, with no other options or information available to them, get abortions and often times begin a life-long emotional struggle concerning their actions. Others who choose to keep the baby also suffer with emotional and mental health issues due to the fact that an overwhelming majority of teen mothers drop out of high school, end up in poverty and on welfare, as well as become the prime targets for physical domestic abuse along with their children.

            It is my belief that women deserve better options than these. They deserve the right to live their lives to the fullest extent and to achieve their hopes and dreams without being hindered by one of the various results that can come from pre-marital sex. My answer is abstinence.

            Working with programs and organizations such as the Crisis Pregnancy Center, I have seen the incredible impact that abstinence education can have on young people everywhere. The Crisis Pregnancy Center offers women of all ages the opportunity to save themselves from the aforementioned risks to their physical, mental and emotional health.

            The Centers provide completely confidential services for pregnancy testing, STD testing, abstinence education, adoption counseling, after-abortion counseling, and support from volunteers.

            It so fulfilling to be able to be a part of organizations such as CPC, and to know that I am making a difference in the lives of other young men and women. With around 29% of teens feeling peer-pressured into having sex, it becomes clear that the need for abstinence education is growing everyday.

            In standing up and believing in abstinence education, it is my hope that young people will realize their worth and be armed with the knowledge that they do not have to give in to peer-pressure and have the option to abstain from sex. Young women are worthy of having the opportunity to follow their dreams for the future. They need to know that they are not alone and that there are people who care about them. With our individual efforts in abstinence education and with organizations like CPC, there is a bright future on the horizon, one that is filled with endless possibilities, promise and passion -- a passion for purity.