Teen sex, is the answer better education.Mature discussion

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Teen sex, is the answer better education.Mature discussion

Postby Rkiver » Thu May 13, 2004 2:52 pm

After reading this article on Sky News I was considering that perhaps a little bit of a poll and discussion about it could be interesting.

This article discussed a 14 year old who got pregnant, not that unusual, and then got an abortion. Her school arranged the abortion, with the girls mother having no knowledge at all regarding it. Now this isn't should her mother been informed, it's about what lead up to this happenstance.

It is well known that in the UK, Ireland, and the USA that teenagers are having sex at younger and younger ages, there was even a report of an 11 year old becoming a mother in England last year. Now I am of the opinion that if these children were properly educated about sex and it's consequences that this would not occur, at least not as much as it currently does. The UK has the highest teen birth rate percentage in the world, and it's not even that big a country population wise. This is a disturbing fact to say the least.

In Dublin, where I live, I see teenagers pregnant, or already with children, and quite often those who are having the children where the results of a teen pregnancy also. So perhaps it is not only education but circumstance also, then again maybe not.

So should sex eduacation start earlier, should people be shown what their actions can lead to? As it is it appears that the current sex education is rather lax, as seen by the current amount of pregnancies. Is giving out the morning after pill on Mondays a good idea, or is it just promoting unsafe teen sex?

So what do you all think?
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Re: Teen sex, is the answer better education.Mature discussi

Postby coolsi » Thu May 13, 2004 2:59 pm

Rkiver wrote:The UK has the highest teen birth rate percentage in the world, and it's not even that big a country population wise.


That's the whole point of a percentage :p

There is a high rate of teenage pregnancies where I live, but also lots of sex education. I don't think anything is going to stop it until those kids with teenage mums grow up, then there may be a decrease in the number of teenage pregnacies.
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Postby Stewsburntmonkey » Thu May 13, 2004 4:03 pm

I think a lot of the problems are parental. Good parenting can solve a great number of situations. However I also think giving out condoms and promoting the birth control shot would help. When you are talking about teens and pre-teens I don't think logic and education have as widespread an effect as is needed.
Last edited by Stewsburntmonkey on Thu May 13, 2004 4:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Darkshine » Thu May 13, 2004 4:33 pm

I agree with Stews, there's too much focus on the schools to provide an education which I strongly believe should be mainly taught in the home. But I also have another opinion on this matter which I actually hate myself for having, but here it is:

I didn't have sex till I was 16 because to be honest, I didn't really know a lot about it, and was petrified of it. My parents never really talked about sex, while granted I never really asked, and I'm sure they wouldn't have minded telling me stuff if I had.. but my lack of education actually acted as a detterant for me.

I later realised sex was just about the most fun two people could have together, but that's besides the point. While this was true of me, there are also other factors to consider, like the fact that I'm a sensible, responsible person by nature, and mature for my age (like the fact that I hang around mostly with people in their late 20's). I'm not bragging, simply pointing out that I think it is ultimately down to the individual to say no, and secondly the parents to encourage them to be the kind of person who could be responsible about it.
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Postby edd8990 » Thu May 13, 2004 4:36 pm

What needs to happen is easier access to contraceptive mesures, condoms, etc. But also, the sex education needs to be improved. At our school we have no sex education, but thats because I attend a Catholic school. Basically, it comes down to the sense of the people involved. And also, the easy access to alchol doesn't help.
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Postby Rkiver » Thu May 13, 2004 4:42 pm

edd8990 wrote:What needs to happen is easier access to contraceptive mesures, condoms, etc. But also, the sex education needs to be improved. At our school we have no sex education, but thats because I attend a Catholic school. Basically, it comes down to the sense of the people involved. And also, the easy access to alchol doesn't help.


Because you want catholic school? I went to one too, as most schools in Ireland are catholic, and sex education takes place in all of them to some degree. Any school that doesn't do it for religious means seriously should have it's right to educate people revoked, but that's just my opinion.
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Postby edd8990 » Thu May 13, 2004 4:44 pm

No. The only Sex education we got was basic mammel biology. and the use of hormones in fertility, but nothing on contaception, or the problems with pregnancy and parenthood.
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Postby Rkiver » Thu May 13, 2004 4:46 pm

I feel pity for you and those who attend your school.
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Postby edd8990 » Thu May 13, 2004 4:50 pm

Though its not so bad for those of us with the sense to actually think about the consequences, and actually read up on these things. Yes its sad, but I actually did read up about sex ed.
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Postby sweaty bob » Thu May 13, 2004 4:53 pm

i'm 14 years old.

i know quite a few girls :D one of them had sex without protection may have got pregnant she went down to YAC (youth advice centre) got the pill their no worries.... :roll:

her parents not knowing...

children DON'T want their parents to find out and these services are confidential :!:
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Postby Darkshine » Thu May 13, 2004 5:40 pm

sweaty bob wrote:i'm 14 years old.

i know quite a few girls :D one of them had sex without protection may have got pregnant she went down to YAC (youth advice centre) got the pill their no worries.... :roll:

her parents not knowing...

children DON'T want their parents to find out and these services are confidential :!:


Isn't that the point? If their parents were more open about sex then this might not have happened, or she might have felt more comfortable about telling them, then they could help.
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Postby Ahdinko » Thu May 13, 2004 8:19 pm

Well you can all now hear the opinion of a mighty teen.

I reckon its because the difficulty teens have in getting contraception. I doubt I would ever walk up to my parents and ask them for a condom, and I imagine I would be highly embarresed going into a shop and buying one (is that even leagal if youre under 16?) And although theres the "go in the public toilets and use the expensive machine" method, I doubt when i get to a stage where I would have sex with someone, I doubt would be carrying a condom in my pocket very much.

Perhaps schools should give out contraception, like once a year during the sex ed. I know of a single school that does this, but a single school out of the many I know isn't going to stop teen pregnancys.

Theres my 2 pence.

Edit: Oh, i forgot one of the most important pieces of... gear in my post.
I think that alot of teens are aware of the concequences (sp?) But contraception is a hassle, for the reasons mentioned above.
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Postby Mas Tnega » Thu May 13, 2004 8:43 pm

I reckon it has something to do with the prick was shouting virgin at me, when I was still 15. The girl he had sex with was, and I'll be fair, some random tart from police cadets. This fact, and that he is 10 months older than me didn't seem to make him shut up. I'm certain stupidity like this doesn't just happen to me.

One reason for teenage pregnancy is (obviously) the magics of alcohol, because weird things happen when you're drunk (I know someone with a road sign collection, for fuck's sake). Your short term memory disappears, along with your common sense.

Another is where people are trying to be adult, and somehow convincing themselves that need to do it to make their relationship mean something, and that their relationship actually has to mean something. The "I'm 14" part of the equation seems to be neglible. Why can't people accept that we're NOT in the Middle Ages, meaning their lives AREN'T neccessarily going to end at 30, and that doing the fun part before anything else makes everything else more boring than it should be?

Adhinko: It's not even legal to have sex under 16, there's no point in selling condoms to them.
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Postby sweaty bob » Thu May 13, 2004 8:51 pm

Ahdinko wrote:Well you can all now hear the opinion of a mighty teen.

I reckon its because the difficulty teens have in getting contraception. I doubt I would ever walk up to my parents and ask them for a condom, and I imagine I would be highly embarresed going into a shop and buying one (is that even leagal if youre under 16?) And although theres the "go in the public toilets and use the expensive machine" method, I doubt when i get to a stage where I would have sex with someone, I doubt would be carrying a condom in my pocket very much.

Perhaps schools should give out contraception, like once a year during the sex ed. I know of a single school that does this, but a single school out of the many I know isn't going to stop teen pregnancys.

Theres my 2 pence.

Edit: Oh, i forgot one of the most important pieces of... gear in my post.
I think that alot of teens are aware of the concequences (sp?) But contraception is a hassle, for the reasons mentioned above.



Their ain't a problem with getting condoms where i am i can get them for free and privately though i have it's great they don't tell your parents etc.

and that girl i was talking about that took the morning after pill has now had an ejection that stops girls from getting pregnant and other things...
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Postby Ahdinko » Thu May 13, 2004 9:26 pm

Mas Tnega wrote:Adhinko: It's not even legal to have sex under 16, there's no point in selling condoms to them.


Yeah I know that, but it seems with all these teen births that many people dont care for the law, so I was just thinking that the government might do something useful and make buying contraception legal for U16's.

sweaty bob wrote:Their ain't a problem with getting condoms where i am i can get them for free and privately though i have it's great they don't tell your parents etc.


To my knowledge there isn't any of them where I live.
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