With states and cities struggling to support schools, infrastructure and other basic necessities, our government continues to spend wildly and wastefully with little political accountability. The latest such example is the $1.4 billion dollars spent on abstinence-only education as an effort to reduce the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa from 2004-2013. A new study shows that the program never showed any success and yet the government continued to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into Africa because the program was politically attractive.
In 2003, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) had a requirement that one-third of the money be allocated to abstinence-only education efforts. While later dropped, we wasted $1.4 billion that could have been used for countless needed programs both domestically and internationally.
President George W. Bush proposed PEPFAR in 2003, but Congress insisted that a third of the money for HIV prevention should be earmarked for programs teaching abstinence before marriage and faithfulness. The result were billboards and radio ads that were viewed as useless and ineffectual.
Eran Bendavid, an infectious disease doctor, and his team at Stanford University studied surveys given to nearly a half-million people in 22 countries. Fourteen countries received funding from PEFPAR between 2004 and 2013 while eight did not. The results showed that there was no real change in the conduct of young people, something most Americans could have told you before burning $1.4 billion. There was also no detectable differences in the rates of teenage pregnancies, average number of sexual partners and age at first sexual intercourse in countries that had received PEFPAR money. It turns out that a billboards in the middle of a highway has as little impact in Africa as it does America.
That lesson however cost $1.4 billion. The “successful” element was that politicians could claim that they insisted that AIDS money be used to fight promiscuity.
WE have actual evidence that real sex education works to decrease unintended pregnancies and STDs, and that abstinence education fails on every level. The problem is that conservatives, catholics and extreme christians do not care about evidence. They believe what they believe, and the facts be damned.
Colorado instituted a mandatory sex ed program and their teen pregnancy and STD rates plummeted. It worked so well that state Republicans de-funded the program because it does not fit the conservative narrative.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/06/science/colorados-push-against-teenage-pregnancies-is-a-startling-success.html?_r=0
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/news/teenbirthrate
The pope and his church, christian conservatives and the republicans who promote this nonsense have a lot to answer for.
Unfortunately they’re mutes.
@phillyT
I respectfully request you explain to dear readers what makes you more “human” than a zygote (one celled human being)? Something more scientific than “SCOTUS says so” would be appreciated (the same SCOTUS which legally defined blacks as “3/5ths human.”)
Catholics have not, since Roe v. Wade, murdered 65M fellow unborn Americans.
A gorgeous (literally) black African Catholic woman explains Abortion as Neo Colonialism to a white Netherlands UN representative, 5 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ6nioMimCc
Bigotry and hatred toward Catholics is a sacred right in MSM, and it’s still evil.
Foreign aid is just corporate welfare by another name.
RandyJet says: “Of course, if the condoms were Trump size, then that also would have been a waste in Africa. Think that makes sense”?
No, Randy you’re rants don’t make sense. Study Sudan Civil War in Africa.
Regarding money spent by the United States on Africa. One way tickets on huge cargo ships full of BLM advocates to Liberia. That is it.
I wonder how much of our national treasury has been wasted on “promiscuous” military behaviors?
@Roscoe P. Coltrane
Now you’re talking about the ultimate pleasure of conservatives.
Well $1.4 billion would sure have bought enough condoms to give every man, woman, and child a lifetime supply of condoms and would have cut down the spread of the disease. Of course, if the condoms were Trump size, then that also would have been a waste in Africa. Then they could use Trump size condoms to keep the bore of their weapons clean at least.
I never cease to be amazed at either the ignorance or gullibility of some who think the KKK is still part of the Democratic Party. This despite the head of the KKK being the official GOP candidate for Gov of Louisiana. In all fairness, I do have to admit that not all GOPers supported that, but the FACT is the KKK has found a new home in the GOP as have all the former Dixiecrats who were KKK supporters. The slogan for that election which Gov Edwards won against the KKKer Duke from the GOPers who did not support him was Vote for the Lizard, NOT the wizard. I thought that Edwards himself probably came up with that one since it would be typical of his wit. Then we have the fact that Trump has welcomed the KKK support, and one wonders about the sanity of those who think the KKK is still part of Democratic politics. Unfortunately some folks here think that black Americans are as stupid or gullible as they are which shows a real contempt for them. It is like reminding voters that the GOP was the party that devastated the South and that on that basis they should leave that party. Think that makes sense?
RanyJet,
Why are AC-130 gunships operating in Somalia? Puff the magic dragon.
@randyjet
Yeah, because people always take the time to put on condoms! Except for those 32,500 gay guys in the United States who give their lover HIV. And millions of guys and gals in Africa! Because, sure. . . liberals are only for safe promiscuity!
And you call Conservatives unrealistic!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Unprotected sex will kill you, not having multiple sex partners. GOPers like Briston Palin only have a moral objection to using condoms it seems, not the promiscuity part. Too bad some here are not smart enough to know or see the difference or mind the hypocrisy. But I am sure that if Trump wins, he will hire Bristol to go around preaching about sexual abstinence at a good salary too. I expect him to also say he believes in marriage so much he has done it three times. Of course, we will have a GREAT looking First Lady who we have all seen naked and even better in a skimpy bikini. She will last only for his first term though, and he will cheat and trade her in on another younger and better looking trophy wife IV. I wonder how the so called Christians can vote for such a blatantly cheating,immoral guy like this. He will probably get the next first lady from a Victoria’s Secret catalogue.
@swm
It was the “yep, Glenn, republicans” snark that caused it. Which I am still waiting for the Liberal side to explain why promiscuity is wonderful, in a place with a 40%ish HIV rate. I mean, I know some people are in favor of getting rid of black folks, but I thought the KKK branch of the Democrats was more clever than to just come out and admit it.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporters
Squeeky, Hey I am not the one that wrote the article complaining about how the money was wasted. My link merely gave the back round info on the appropriation.
@swarthmoremom
With Squeeky you cannot expect her to catch any thing that is obvious since she already has boiler plate to post before she finishes reading your post.
We could spend that $1B helping convince more black women to participate in racial genocide, killing their unborn babies, thus ratcheting the ratio well beyond the measly 50% range we’re stuck at now. And more Democratic Party “Safety Net” programs for blacks to help increase out of wedlock births above the current 71% range. Maybe give special $10k cash bonus for each black baby born out of wedlock. Black male babies seem to do so well without a biological father in the house, very civilized and peaceful, you know, great school grades, etc, etc.
LBJ’s “Great Society” has really helped the black race excel, don’t you think?
But I’m most proud we spent $4 Trillion on the war on terror, including Home Land Security, making the world and USA safe for democracy, and spreading democratic values around the globe (most often w/an aircraft carrier, killing PWDS…people w/darker skin).
/sarc off
@Joseph Jones
So the war on drugs, being so called tough on crime, what did that do for African American males? Mass incarceration and the destruction of untold families.
@TomWisdom: agreed.
Olly – No, I was suggesting that liberals base their opinions on fact.
Nigerian Boko Haram mocking Video
@Randyjet
Another variation on “The Republicans aren’t perfect, sooo don’t listen to anything they say!” meme.
And, Stupid??? No here is some stupid for you!
America: Smoking will kill you, sooo STOP SMOKING!
Africa: Promiscuity will kill you, sooo DON’T LISTEN TO THOSE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS who tell you to stop being promiscuous!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
@Sqeeky Fromm
Sounds like you believe that the pleasure of smoking is equivalent to that of sex excepting the ashes of course.
The money went to conservative GOPers who made tons of money off of it. It also jibes with their stupid ideas of morality that they themselves NEVER practice. Just look at Swaggart or any of the other so called preachers who cannot keep it their pants. Then we have the GOPers who forget that wonderful example of abstinence working well, BRISTOL PALIN, who is pregnant AGAIN after being the speaker for that program! She got lots of money for that gig too! But of course, being a conservative means you never have to admit being wrong, immoral, or a hypocrite, since you are forgiven, no matter what! I am sure that she will be back on that job after she delivers, telling young women the wonders of abstinence with nary a blush! Only GOPers and Trump can be so unashamedly stupid.
@swm and glenn
Talk about some White Privilege going on in the house! Assuming for the nonce that you are even capable of assimilating new facts, I present this:
You can read the rest of the 2004 article at the link. If you do, you will find that PROMISCUITY was the biggest factor in the spread, That is the backdrop against which the ABC program was initiated. However, I suspect that liberals such as you two, will have a rough time understanding that if promiscuity is killing people, then maybe trying to stop promiscuity is both a smart thing, and a good thing.
My God, the stupid . . . it burns!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
@Sqeeky Fromm
Isn’t that what the original post was about, that teaching abstinence doesn’t work?
Firstly, show us a program that doesn’t have some part of it failing, either to some degree or entirely. This comes with the territory. While the abstinence part of the total aid group was a result of the right wing thumpers in Congress and while it may be an aspect peculiar to Republicans more so than Democrats it is nothing more than part of the baggage. A foundation such as the Gates Foundation will not need to include rabid nutcase concepts such as the promotion of abstinence on a continent where basic sexual drives take precedent over Western philosophies, regardless of belief. The pope and the rest of the extreme religious world are partially to blame for this failure if not entirely. People in Africa are going to do what they are going to do. The best way to help them is to promote the use of condoms and medical supervision. Of course this is advice coming from Lucifer and will also not be completely successful, but it’s better than doing nothing or doing something sourced from fairy tale thumpers.
Piss, piss, piss it all away…
Hmmm. Did the program really NOT work??? Enquiring minds want to know!
Possibility #1: The program worked, and the HIV, STD, and non-marriage preganancy rate would have been even higher if not for the program;
Possibility #2: The program was just fine, but was effectively under-funded, and could not compete with the amount of counter programming which portrays promiscuous sex as a wonderful thing! That is, TV, advertisements, porn, social sex apps, etc.
Possibiity #3: The program didn’t work.
Remember that our cigarette smoking rate is down, due in large part to education about smoking prematurely killing your dumb a$$. In other words, just telling the truth about smoking. BUT, that education was assisted by higher tax rates on smokes, and a ban on most counter advertising, such as the Joe the Camel stuff.
FWIW, the rate of smokers who get lung cancer is about 20%, some of whom die from it, and some of whom live to some degree after treatment.
The rate of men who have sex with men who get HIV is also about 20%. It is estimated to hit a 50% rate among black homos and bi’s soon. Sooo, sodomy without a condom is just as deadly as rate-wise as lung cancer. Around 12,500 people die each year in the United States from AIDS. I think that number is severely under-counted. But even so, that is more than get murdered.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter