The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inflated data about teen girls and sexual assault in a news release about a new CDC report on teenage mental health. In 2021, the percentage of teen girls who reported that they had ever been “forced to have sex” was up 27 percent since 2019, the health agency said, calling it “the first increase since the CDC began monitoring this measure.”
The percentage of teen girls reporting this in the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey reporting did rise, unfortunately—but not by quite the magnitude that the CDC news release said, reports Washington Post fact checker Glenn Kessler. The actual increase was not 27 percent, but 18.4 percent.
And even this number leaves some room for doubt, owing to differences in data collection between previous-year surveys and 2021.
“The CDC’s focus on the challenges facing teenage girls — especially regarding mental health — is timely and important. But the CDC’s use of inflated figures on sexual violence could undermine its larger message,” suggests Kessler.
The first problem with the CDC’s data stems from rounding. In 2019, 11.4 percent of teen girls in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey said they had been forced to have sex; in the 2021 survey, it was 13.5 percent. That’s a rise of 2.1 percentage points or—put another way—an 18.4 percent increase. In presenting the data, however, the CDC rounded the 2019 number down to 11 percent and the 2021 number up to 14 percent. Using these rounded numbers, you get a 27 percent increase.
Any increase here is concerning, of course. And whether it’s 11 or 14 percent, that’s still a disturbingly large percentage of teen girls who say they’ve been forced to have sex.
And this of course would show the malarkey they use as justification for even more restrictions on us. It seems we are fighting a war against BS statistics. The 18% they speak of is still a horrible statistic.
I’m not ignorant of this as an issue, but unvalidated claims are hearsay and should be questioned. Too many false claims are borne as unvalidated claims in the end.
“50% of all Statistics are 50% wrong, 50% of the time, and 50% right the other 50% of the time. “…is how the professor introduced himself to the class on our first day. He was making a point…Statistics are only as valid as they are understood to be. If you just throw out numbers at people, without context as to what the numbers mean…they mean nothing.
This report seems to be a prime example of this idea. Oh and there is also this…
Coworker: “You make $100,00 a year? I only make $50,000! You make 50% more than me!
Dilbert: “No I make 100% more than you, and your inability to understand that may be why.”
It’s true, 50% more would be $75,000…but sometimes people don’t know how to compare numbers correctly.
And also….if you’re elder child consistently gets 10% test scores, and they move to 40%…they have improved their scores by 30%? No, in fact 300%…but…they are still failing. While your younger child has experienced a 10% reduction in test scores…but is still getting an A. 90% is still an A…right?
Oh, remember I lie about statistics 100% of the time. 😉
I am not the first person to write, think, or say the following, but I also won’t be the last person. People end up in all manner of situations. Some are not voluntary, some are, a percentage are not enjoyable, another percentage might be. Let’s remain cautious about how sexual assault is defined by the CDC, how they ask questions about it, the sample size and whatever extrapolations were made, and the perception of anyone being asked. Even subtle differences in how a local law may classify something, how the CDC does, and what an individual believes about a prior situation can create data that’s not as definitive one way or another as indicated in a report. It doesn’t mean someone didn’t find themselves in an unpleasant situation, but does that rise to the level of sexual assault or something more serious? Probably a much tougher question to answer in a simple way than most people imagine in certain instances.
Given the CDC’s track record of late, this does not surprise either. They probably should do six sigma work on their processes and refine them for the better and stop giving false data out (while being the little sibling of the WHO who is not much better).
What do you want to bet that they also expanded the definition of “forced to have sex?” There’s also the impossible-to-prove aspect of self-reporting and whether or not there are more false reports now. I’d put money that there are. “Did you see Sarah Goody flying through the air on a broomstick, like the other girls said?” Never disbelieve a teenage girl. They never lie and they must be believed without reservation.
WHAT!!! The CDC altered some data? No! Say it isn’t so.
Why is the CDC even sticking its nose in so-called sex assaults in the first place? They need to concentrate on their own responsibility.
This is a useful statistic. It shows the focus on more punishment for sex crimes has not been working to reduce interpersonal trauma. We need to look at other non punitive measures to reduce trauma in women and girls.
unfounded claims mean nothing more than a broken clock, just because the clock shows the right time twice a day , doesn’t mean the clock works . but it does mean that the clock can’t be trusted for 22 hours each and everyday , you know like our justice system ?
Inflation! What a useful word. And timely too. I’ve noticed and inflating number of 18 to 90 years old vaginas as web content. Millions! Web cams proliferating like rabbits. Rabbits also being a top selling multi-action toy. Last I knew eighteen and nineteen are ” teens” too. I do not think most of that is forced behavior. I didn’t necessarily know sexual assault was “A disease.” It’s not factually, so why does CDC have credibility here? Didn’t we just go thru covid19 situation where their credibility was challenged?
Florida didn’t shut down, has more older folks than you can shake a stick at, yet suffered less per capita deaths in the upper age ranges. Why? Air conditioner life.
This is more self sustainable dogma, again by fainting federal socialists without jurisdiction. Get the fed out of child rearing, Period! When possible keep state agents out of child rearing too!
I know these people insist they know better, and have “every right” but they must be challenged. The Center for Disease Control should stay in their own lane.
These statistics are more in National Center for Missing Exploited Children’ s ballpark.
If a child got a disease from an attack..that would be fair game. And that does happen.
That would require the interviewed would necessitate a sample of persons having been attacked first. No doubt a general population survey was used because +% = all had not and may also describe or reflect the advantages from social recognition as a victim. Victims get attention, positive support and interpersonal reinforcement.
And then there’s the civil suits, where financial motives apply.