Dear Dr. Dobson, Ms. Huber: Can You Explain Uganda’s Abstinence Only “Success”?

A memo to the National Abstinence Education Association and Focus on the Family asks for answers about Uganda's example of abstinence-only "success" -- an increase in HIV infections, according to PBS' Frontline video Uganda: The Condom Controversy.

I was wondering who could answer my questions about the alarming rise in HIV infections in Uganda since abstinence-only policies took root there, and then it hit me; Ask Dr. Dobson! Knowing he's so busy, I decided to ask Valerie Huber over at NAEA too, since all she thinks about is abstinence.

TO: Dr. James Dobson, President, Focus on The Family; Valerie Huber, Executive Director, National Abstinence Education Association

CC: Any abstinence-only supporter with an answer

FR: Concerned Taxpayers

RE: Uganda's Increased Abstinence-Only Efforts and the Direct Correlation to an Increase in Rising HIV Infection Rates

Congratulations on your recent increase in abstinence-only funding from Congressional Committees. As concerned taxpayers, many of us are wondering how Rep. Obey's Committee justified $28 million more for abstinence-only, given the overwhelming public support, as well as mounting statistical evidence, for comprehensive sexuality education as a more certain prevention tool.

Even First Lady Laura Bush disagrees with the policies you duped her husband into promoting, but your billions of tax funded grants have won over the First Lady of Uganda who has implemented your vision. I'm sure you'll agree then, that Uganda provides a great testing ground to see if abstinence-only works.

So please take time to watch this eight-minute PBS Frontline video, Uganda: The Condom Controversy.

In it you will learn:

  • Ten years ago, 15 percent of Ugandan adults were infected with HIV;
  • By 2003, that number dropped to just six percent;
  • This dramatic success story was due in part to condom use and accepted comprehensive public health prevention strategies that stress sexuality education;
  • In 2004 there was a dramatic reversal, ending comprehensive sexuality education in favor of abstinence-only policies in Uganda, where Focus on the Family has been working and the Bush/PEPFAR "no condom" restrictions have been closely followed;
  • Many Ugandan faith leaders, as you will see in the video, support all strategies that prevent HIV spread, including the realistic approach that encourages condom use and prevention for those people who become sexually active;
  • Those Ugandans getting paid by PEPFAR's politicized money are following the abstinence-only billions to support themselves and seem more interested in entertaining than educating, justifying their existence based on a teenager signing a "virginity" pledge.

Given all your faith in abstinence-only education, Ms. Huber, Dr. Dobson, and the prominence your policies derive from being promoted by the President and First Lady of Uganda;

  • How do you explain HIV infections are on the rise when before, with promotion of safer sex including condoms, they were in steep decline?

 

We taxpayers await your response and justification for the millions of additional tax dollars one House Committee is prepared to entrust you with. Until that justification comes from you, others of us will continue to believe No More Money for abstinence-only is the way to go.