, showed women denied abortions have four times higher odds of being under the federal poverty line, are more likely to be tethered to an abusive spouse and are more likely to experience mental health issues. Comprehensive sexuality education is about more than preventing sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
, a comprehensive sexuality curriculum includes age-appropriate education on concepts such as human development, relationships, sexual behavior, sexual health, culture, society and personal skills—including topics like personal values, decision-making and communication. Some may think teaching about sex leads to more sexual activity, but the opposite is true.
Similarly, access to safe legal abortions does not lead to more abortions, rather reduced morbidity. In 1965, 17 percent of pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths were due to illegal abortions. Now it is less than 1 percent. Access to sexual healthcare and education saves lives—which is why many organizations globally deem access to comprehensive