Originally Posted by ISUFan22 
Education about how to participate in safe sex and encouragement to get tested for those that are sexual active, IMO - should be the way.
Teach/preach abstinence - and you lose 'em. I'm not saying condone it, but educate 'em - because it is going to happen.
People can go to the Polk County Health Department (downtown) and get tested for free (I think they ask for donations). I'd venture to guess very few, both in the DSM area and any other city, use such a service.
I think part of the problem is that when people preach abstinence it is a scare tactic or without explanation. Just another reason to rebel. It may work on some, but if you are going to teach abstinence, you should be realistic/truthful about sex with those kids.
