Virginity pledges don't reduce rates of STDs, study finds - The Globe and Mail:

The Globe and Mail: Virginity pledges don't reduce rates of STDs, study finds:

"Young adults who take 'virginity pledges' have similar rates of sexually transmitted diseases as their peers, according to a new study that debunks the effectiveness of a major element of the abstinence movement.

The research also found that virginity pledges -- usually public, signed statements linked with schools, community groups or churches in which adolescents promise to delay having sex until marriage -- may even encourage high-risk sexual behaviour, as those who make the pledge are less likely to use condoms and seek treatment for STDs."