USC's Student Health Services was ranked in more than 13 categories on Trojan's report card. This is proof that our student fees are being utilized in a positive and progressive way, but how are we as students making the grade? Judging by the fact that one out of two young people will develop a sexually transmitted infection by age 25, I don't quite think we are. And the scary statistics don't just apply to sexually transmitted diseases and infections — approximately half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and three in 10 girls will be pregnant at least once by age 20. Making a better grade in the sexual health world means getting accurate information out to those who need it the most and empowering our generation to take advantage of preventive behaviors.
But where does this information come from? In a political climate where the government threatens to shut down Planned Parenthood and abstinence-only programs run rampant through public schools, the answers are questionable. Parents, peers and the Internet are cited as the most popular sources for information about sex. In case you haven't surfed the Web lately, there are some questionable sites out there, which in turn should make us all question what kind of answers we're getting.
A recent Nielsen report states that our generation sends more than 3,000 texts per month, averaging about 80 per day. Enter the South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign's SEXT messaging line: free, immediate and confidential information on a smorgasbord of issues related to sexual health. This taps into our technologically driven world to disperse accurate information in order to create the awareness necessary for responsible behavior. Take out your phone right now, ignore the missed calls and waiting messages and text the word "SEXT" in the body of a message to 74574. The message you receive gives you key words to respond to. The text messaging system continues to prompt the user until the desired topic is determined and then sends the appropriate information. This innovative system puts information on STI/HIV transmission, pregnancy prevention and birth control methods at your fingertips. There is even a zip code locator feature to find local testing clinics and rape crisis centers.
Spread the word, tell your friends about the SEXT line and promote the South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign's efforts to enlighten and empower young people. Let's make the grade together.
— Julia Petty, second-year public health graduate student and youth activist with the South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign