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May 7, 2013

Elizabeth Smart: Abstinence-Only Sex Ed Fueled Shame After She Was Raped 
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Kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart has spoken out against
abstinence-only sex education, which she says fueled her feelings of
shame when she was captured and raped at the age of 14. During an
address about human trafficking at Johns Hopkins University, Smart
recalled being taught that women who have sex before marriage are like
used chewing gum. As a result, after being raped, Smart said: "I
thought, 'Oh my gosh, I’m that chewed-up piece of gum, nobody re-chews
a piece of gum. You throw it away.' And that’s how easy it is to feel
like you no longer have worth, you no longer have value. Why would it
even be worth screaming out? Why would it even make a difference if you
are rescued? Your life still has no value," she said. Smart was
kidnapped at knife point in 2002 and held captive for nine months.

 

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