Brazilian Family Minister Says Sexual Abstinence Should be Discussed in Schools

By Xiu Ying, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Minister of Women, Family, and Human Rights, Damares Alves, declared that she would like sexual abstinence to be addressed in schools.

In an interview with BBC News Brasil, Damares said that addressing the issue could prevent HIV infection among youths as well as early pregnancy.

Along the same lines, the minister complained about being called a “crazy minister”.

“I would like abstinence also to be a method to be discussed in the classroom. I would very much like to discuss this with youths,” she said in the interview and added: “We are witnessing a very strong campaign for sex for pleasure, only for pleasure. Bringing back the topic of affection to this debate could be the most effective method for preventing pregnancy, not condoms or contraceptives, the most effective method is abstinence. Why not talk about it? Why not talk about delaying the onset of sexual intercourse? I defend this argument.”

According to her, there are 13-year-old girls “who sleep with eight partners in a single night” at funk parties: “Why not think anew, that a girl should preserve herself. As well as the boy, to preserve themselves for true love.”

The minister, who said she had been labeled “crazy” in an attempt to undermine the government, was in Argentina attending a meeting with anti-abortion senators and, on that occasion, said that abortion legislation in Brazil should continue as it is. Nevertheless, she stated that she is personally against abortion, even for rape victims. According to her, a woman suffers twice, while as a “victim” of rape and then as an “executioner” when performing an abortion. Speaking about care for pregnant women, Damares praised Dilma Rousseff’s “Rede Cegonha” (Stork Network) program, declaring that the initiative was “incredible”.

“The one who had an abortion got rid of the problem. The one that doesn’t want the baby has adoption programs in Brazil. However, the one who chose not to have an abortion will be carrying a child. And we don’t see any public policy for this woman. We have guaranteed abortion for those who choose it, but not for the ones who didn’t,” she said.