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High Rates of Sexual Violence, Risky Behavior Found in Urban Indian & Native Women |
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From the Family Violence Prevention Fund
Jul 1, 2010
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women living in urban areas are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to report: non-voluntary first sexual intercourse, unintended and teen pregnancies, unprotected first sex, and first sex with older partners. Those are among the findings from a new study from the Urban Indian Health Institute.
The report calls the high rates of sexual violence experienced by urban AI/AN women “intolerable.” It recommends that “the context in which sexual violence occurs for urban AI/AN communities must be examined closely to learn how to promote justice and address the underlying issues.”
Urban AI/AN women who had been forced to have sexual intercourse were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have initiated sex at a young age. Lead researcher Shira Rutman told USA Today that this was “a sign of early risky behavior.”
The report, Reproductive Health of Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Women, recommends more youth-focused programming that addresses unintended pregnancy, poor birth outcomes and sexually transmitted infections, since risk factors were found to occur especially among young urban AI/AN women. Ralph Forquera, director of the Urban Indian Health Institute, said the findings show the importance of having culturally appropriate health information available. “Funding is needed for these programs to assure that they are most effective in addressing the issues outlined in this report,” he said.
To read the full article, click here. |
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Proven Sex-Ed Programs Get A Boost |
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Under the Obama administration, the U.S. is shifting gears on teen pregnancy prevention. Everyone is still on-message that abstinence should be the core message of any federally funded program, but comprehensive sex education is about to get a boost from the federal government.
This year's federal budget is devoting more than $114 million to what it calls an "evidence-based approach." Abstinence-only programs will still be funded, but most of the money will go to communities that choose programs that have shown they reduce teen pregnancy.
Read (or listen to) the rest of the story at NPR by clicking here.
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On June 17th School Board Members at Denver Public Schools unanimously voted in support of the resolution on comprehensive sexuality education. Before casting their votes, many of the Board Members spoke in favor of the resolution and their eagerness to support it. President of the Board, Nate Easley, commented on the sexuality education that his children have received and said in regards to the resolution, "I wholeheartedly support this." Even Superintendent Tom Boasberg expressed his thanks to Vice President Arturo Jimenez for bringing the resolution to the Board and to the community and organizations coming together to support it.
Through our work with our partnering organizations, The Healthy Colorado Youth Alliance was able to generate over 5,000 emails of support to the DPS School Board. As a result of this resolution passing, the more than 78,000 students in DPS are one step closer to having guaranteed access to life-saving information about STI and pregnancy prevention.Thank you to all of you who took action to support this essential step!
Thank the Board by sending them an email today at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
View the final resolution here. |
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School Clinics Armed for Reproductive Health |
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School clinics armed for reproductive health
By Rebecca Jones on June 1, 2010, INDenverTimes.com
Across the state, care providers at the 35 health care centers based at middle schools and high schools in Colorado encounter the same issues: Sexually active or potentially active teens with scant knowledge of contraceptive or safe sex practices; an epidemic of sexually-transmitted infections – especially chlamydia – among teens; care providers who may be excellent at treating asthma or giving sports physicals but unsure of best practices when it comes to reproductive health care; and skittish communities that would just as soon this didn’t become a topic for public conversation.
A new resource – the Adolescent Reproductive Health Tool Kit – released in late April by the Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care may provide some help with all those issues.
The tool kit, two years in the making, provides a range of concrete resources and suggestions for school-based health care providers on topics ranging from how to talk to school boards about teen pregnancy prevention to booklets on a range of reproductive topics written in teen-friendly lingo to guidelines for health care providers on just what they should be asking and advising their teen-age patients.
“When it comes to adolescent health, the reproductive piece often gets overlooked, sometimes intentionally,” said Melinda Gonzales, Director of Adolescent Health Programs for CASBHC, and the driving force behind the tool kit. “Most people are supportive but they just don’t know how much such programs are needed. And a few are vocal in their opposition.”
Click here to read the full article.
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