Children having children....
It has been an issue of late in our country - most notably in Texas. Did you realize the U. S. rates highest in the world for teen pregnancy amongst developed countries?
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The following are some of the stark facts about a problem that has become to many Americans, a symbol of a national moral malaise. (Not so much the sexual activity - rather the unwanted pregnancy. Perhaps we should send in the Texas Rangers? Not likely.)
- Every year almost one million teenage girls become pregnant.
- More than half of them are 17 years old or younger when they have their first pregnancy. Approximately one-third of the girls who get pregnant carry their pregnancies to term and keep their babies.
- About another third have abortions, and the other third has spontaneous miscarriages.
- Only about five percent of pregnant girls put their babies up for adoption.
- Approximately 40 percent of young women become pregnant before they reach 20 years old. The United States of America has double the adolescent pregnancy and birth rates of any other industrialized country.
- The poorer the young woman, the more likely she will become a mother.
- Less than one-third of teens who have babies before the age of 18 finish high school.
- Almost half of all teen mothers end up on welfare.
- Less than 25 percent of births to teens occur within wedlock. - Source
That must mean the girls who happen to be sexually active but are not "punished with a child" - as Obama stated - are either using some sort of contraception or engaging in masturbation, oral or anal sex. I'm sure that doesn't count however.
have very close friend whose oldest daughter became pregnant at 14 by a 17 yr old sperm donor male. delivered the baby at 15. kept the baby - refused to give it up for adoption - but at least did not abort. mom and dad care for the baby while daughter is in school.
ReplyDeletelater in that same year of being a 15 year old she got pregnant again - same sperm donor who was then 18 [adult and minor].
she is now 16 and due to deliver in 6 weeks. this time she is talking to adoption placement agencies - probably the best solution.
age of consent in our state is 16. but marriage, with parental consent is possible at 14.
putting that all together and local prosecutor would not prosecute either time - says it is just a 'bad choce' situation, but not one that he can win in court anymore.
same sperm donor had impregnated another girl before this one - but he's still free to do his magic on these young girls. and she 'loves' him.
A gentle FYI, and I certainly don't expect people to know this naturally:
ReplyDeleteThe preferred term is "placed a baby for adoption", not "gave up" or "put up", which unwittingly equate the child to property or make him feel as though he was "given away" like a sweater that no longer fit.
It's easy to give something away - an adoption plan is lovingly and carefully planned out of love for a baby and is emotionally wracking.
Again, I don't expect people to know this but I do like to gently let them in on "adoption language" secrets.
:)
(It's not a topic one comes across frequently.)