More than 60% of Colorado Teens are Not Engaged in Sexual Activity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DENVER, CO— This June, the CDC released 2015 data from the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). On a national level, 58.8% of teens are not having sex. For Colorado in particular, 64.6% of Colorado teens were not involved in sexual activity at the time of the most recent survey.
“We are thrilled by the results of this study. The numbers are evidence that our efforts with Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) and relationship education at The Center for Relationship Education have been effective in Colorado and have increased healthy life skills” says Joneen Mackenzie RN, President & Founder of The Center for Relationship Education, an organization headquartered in Denver that teaches the research based skills for healthy relationship development and enhancement for adolescents and adults across 44 states and 7 countries.
The Center for Relationship Education recognizes that healthy relationships are essential for life success and works with students ranging from 4th grade through college by training educators to teach the REAL (Relationship Education and Leadership) Essentials curriculum. The skills imparted in this curriculum empower students with self-discovery tools, relationship skills, and successful life strategies that increase social and emotional wellness, sexual health and life success.
“The data speaks for itself,” commented Mackenzie. “Relationship education that focuses on sexual risk avoidance rather than sexual risk reduction is actually helpful, resulting in this positive trend of adolescents delaying sexual debut and wanting more from their relationships. That is absolutely noteworthy. It’s time for schools and community based organizations to choose curricula and programs that will actually benefit adolescents. The relationship and sexual risk avoidance approach has proven that it does.”
“It is far better to address adolescents as mature, thoughtful young adults rather than helpless subjects to peer pressure or hormones. Adolescents are proving that they can and will make healthy choices regarding sex; we should be encouraging those positive trends and offering support in our policies and our curriculum,” remarked Mackenzie.
The Center for Relationship Education is enthusiastically committed to adolescent health and well-being. Their professional team is dedicated to strengthening the nation by strengthening relationships and increasing the number of future safe and stable family development to decrease poverty and increase child well-being. This is accomplished by curriculum development, trainings, workshops, and direct services.
You can listen to Joneen discuss this and more in a radio interview with 630 KHOW by clicking here. You can also learn more about The Center for Relationship Education here.
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Media Contact: Sarah Bouma
sarah@dco.consulting