Government announces campaign to encourage youth to talk about safe sex

November 30, 2009 by Shawn Douglas  
Filed under: News, Pregnancy

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The UK government has announced a new campaign encouraging youth to talk more openly about safe sex in an effort to reduce teenage pregnancy rates.

Despite best efforts to reduce teen pregnancy rates in the U.K. by 2010, the government’s 2007 figures show that there were 41.9 pregnancies per every 1000 people between the ages of 15 and 17, up from 40.9 in 2006.

This has led the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families to announce a new awareness program called “Contraception. Worth Talking About.” The program aims to use speech bubbles and not actual people, with conversations related to sexual health taking place in places like the shopping center or the living room.

“The campaign is designed to change attitudes and show young people that having open conversations with their partners, friends, parents and health professionals is a must — it isn’t something to be embarrassed about,” said Public Health Minister Gillan Merron.

A recent survey of 16 to 24-year-olds found that 20 percent felt awkward discussing contraception with friends, and nearly 26 percent of them never considered talking about contraception with their partner.

“Sex still seems to be taboo — too many of us are holding back from having the open and honest conversations that young people need to make informed decisions, including about when it’s right to have sex,” said Merron.

Hilary Pannack, chief executive of Straight Talking, a sex education charity, agreed that talk of contraception use should be more natural. The charity, however, has taken a different approach with its program by utilizing teenage parents to spread the news.

Pannack told the BBC: “Young people also need a reason not to get pregnant and by employing teenage parents to deliver a program in schools to enable young people to understand the realities of early pregnancy and parenting, Straight Talking is providing a vital element of the prevention service which is largely being ignored.”

“Normalizing information about contraception, in particular information about condoms being the best protection from STIs, is important.”

In a separate press release, Anne Quesney, for the sexual health agency Marie Stopes International, said that while the agency welcomes the announcement, education must happen in the home as well.

“Parents also have a vital role to play in educating their children about fulfilling relationships and safe sex practices before they become sexually active,” said Quesney.

“Many adults find it difficult to talk to their children about sex, but the new government campaign may assist parents and help them to feel more comfortable in promoting an open attitude towards sex-related conversations, to ensure their children approach them for advice if needed.”

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