Statistics
There is an alarming number of statistics in regard to teen pregnancy locally. The following statistics highlight the importance of programs such as our own to decrease the number of area youth engaging in risky sexual behavior which can lead to unwanted pregnancies and infection.
•In 2005, 100 teens became pregnant in Harrisonburg and 91 became pregnant in Rockingham County. The number of teen pregnancies has decreased over the years and will hopefully continue to follow the downward trend so long as programs are implemented.
•The pregnancy rate among 15-17 year old girls in Harrisonburg is almost DOUBLE the rate of Virginia as a whole. (45.7 versus 25.2 per 1,000 families)
•Following the national trend, 1 in 5 area youth have had sex before age 15. That number jumps to 1 in 4 by age 16. (Based on data from the Youth Data Survey for Harrisonburg/Rockingham)
•63% of teens have indicated their “first time” is between 14 and 16, 47% of high school teenagers have had sexual intercourse (national statistics)