Selling Sex
An opinion of how sex education influences teenage pregnancy by Hannah Packwood
Selling Sex Even as a college student I am still faced with the endless topic of ‘Sex and how it can all go wrong!’ I think it’s about time someone realised that the pregnancies that occur can’t be solved by an annual lecture involving an excruciating mix of photographs, painfully embarrassing nurses and even the odd play…!
The British government is proposing sex education for younger children in the hope of curbing teenage pregnancies. Already, children of ten and eleven years are given sex education in school and again when they are in the early years of high school. In my opinion, knowing the facts earlier is unlikely to change anything.
Although a few pregnancies will occur from girls swept along by overwhelming emotions and some from the unexpected influences of alcohol, many young pregnancies are a result of girls wanting babies to love them because they lack emotional stability. Let’s not forget the mercenary effects of the offer of benefits and housing.
It is the older generations who are almost encouraging these pregnancies - making them appear like a comfort blanket
Being a seventeen year old I am within the ‘young person’ age group but it’s not the sex education I’ve had that’s going to prevent me from having a family of five, the keys to a council flat and endless benefits by my mid twenties. It is the way in which I have been brought up. Not wholly due to my home environment, but primarily the example of those around me. If I saw my friends gaining a relatively comfortable environment for nothing, it might just make me think ‘That’s not a bad idea’ this surely is the problem? Thus to me it is the older generations who are almost encouraging these pregnancies – making them appear like a comfort blanket.
I appreciate that not all situations are contained within these stereotypes – some may be serious or inescapable and in those situations I accept that one should be given all the necessary help available. However, if it is irresponsibility, an aspect of laziness or an easy way out in the journey of life then I see no reason to make motherhood so appealing.
Whilst not advocating that young mothers be thrown onto the streets, if young motherhood was less financially attractive, it might have a stronger effect than earlier sex education. Young men should be held responsible for their children; our forefathers were apprenticed to the services at that age. Fifteen year olds are not boys and they should be made to pay. If girls were given better options of employment i.e. the possibility of a studio flat at a low rent and a secure apprenticeship or at least the necessary crèche facilities whilst taking financial responsibility for their children, this might be more attractive.
If we as a society continue to provide more comforts for young mothers, they themselves often born of young mothers, eventually the system will not be able to offer support. Where once granny might have helped out, granny is now often a young mum herself of thirty or so, and thus unable to offer support to her child and grandchild. Great grandmother is no longer a revered matriarchal figure but a woman in her fifties who has neither the time nor inclination to support younger generations. Reward hard work, penalise young fathers by hitting them in the wallet and make young girls face the responsibility for their children and maybe teenage pregnancies would reduce dramatically.
Editor's Note:
In response to Hannah's article I would like to point out that perhaps the methods used to teach sex eduacation in this country need updating. Although knowing about contraception and sexual diseases is important this only teaches us the facts. As Hannah said 'many young pregnancies are a result of girls wanting babies to love them because they lack emotional stability' so to really achieve sound sexual education surely we need to be taught about dealing with emotions and relationship issues?
I am not suggesting that we get rid of what we already do but we need to add to it by helping children and young people feel emotionally rounded and confident when dealing with relationships. This needs to be focussed around more than just sexual relationships between teenagers, even helping primary school children to understand how friendships work and how to deal with emotions can go a long way towards them becoming a confident and happy young person. If you want to voice your opinion on this matter make use of our debate box and tell us what you think.
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£26.8 Million to improve access to contraception
The Government have announced a £26.8 million drive to improve young people's access to contraception and help reduce the number of teenage pregnancies. Latest figures show that 11 per cent of sexually active women do not use any form of contraception; 80 per cent of teenage pregnancies are in 16 and 17 year olds; and the highest rates of abortion are among 20-24 year olds. Examples of the way in which the money could be used are: offering contraception and more information at abortion clinics to prevent repeat abortions; working with health visitors to target vulnerable young women - particularly teenage mothers; and condom kiosks in pharmacies.
This money is in addition to the £130 million which has been invested in modernising sexual health clinics and services over the past two years. That investment has seen access to GUM clinics and uptake of HIV tests increase substantially. Teenage pregnancy rates are at their lowest level for over 20 years. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy has reversed the previous upward trend and reduced the under 18 conception rate by 11.4 per cent and the under 16 conception rate by 12.1 per cent.
