Here is a study that starts to examine the STD impact of "abstinence-only" or "sexual-ignorance" curricula. http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth
Here is a news article of the study...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050319/SEX19/TPHealth/
I guess there are only 2 types of teens. Those who get sexual education and those who don't. (ie, "abstinence-only" classes are ones where the sex ed part has been clipped out of the curriculum, thus there is an "absence of teaching" aka ignorance.)
I'd like to understand specifically how sexually educated teens are reducing their rate of stds. I suspect the sexually ignorant could benefit from this training.
As I look at the data, it appears that someone might draw a conclusion that sexual ignorance doesNOT increase occurence of STDs. But in fact, when one considers the "rate" of STDs, it is staggering among sexually ignorant teens.
Clearly sexual training reduces the "rate" of STD. Does it simultaneously increase the frequency of sex? That is the question that must be answered to persuade the morally or religiously fearful.