HR0660 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0660 LRB101 17254 ECR 66658 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States reports that Illinois teens experience higher percentages of forced sexual intercourse, dating violence, and physical or sexual violence compared to the national average; and

WHEREAS, The Center for Disease Control reports 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence involving sexual contact; and

WHEREAS, 1 in 9 females and 1 in 36 male high school students reported experiencing sexual dating violence in the last year; and

WHEREAS, Members of the LGBTQ+ community face greater rates of sexual violence compared to heterosexual individuals; and

WHEREAS, Around half of transgender people are sexually assaulted in their lifetime; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 1.8 million cases of Chlamydia and over 500,000 cases of Gonorrhea were reported to the CDC in 2018; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, Illinois ranked 10th for the rate of Chlamydia and Syphilis cases and was ranked 17th for the rate of Gonorrhea cases; and

WHEREAS, Sexually transmitted diseases cost the U.S. healthcare system $16 billion annually; and

WHEREAS, Comprehensive sex education means that the sex education curriculum fully meets the seven topics of the National Sexuality Education Standards: Anatomy and Physiology, Puberty and Adolescent Development, Identity, Pregnancy and Reproduction, Sexually Transmitted Disease and HIV, Healthy Relationships (which includes consent education), and Personal Safety; and

WHEREAS, Comprehensive sex education has been proven to reduce teen pregnancy and STD rates as well as to increase contraceptive use and help young people have healthy relationships; and

WHEREAS, the CDC found a 12% reduction in sexual risk-taking among students who had comprehensive sex education; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize every student has the right to comprehensive sex education, and we support organizations and schools that are providing comprehensive sex education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That comprehensive sex education is necessary to aid in the reduction of the high rates of sexual violence and STDs.