More Sex Ed and more STIs

Briefing. Two stories about the Government's failed sex-education and family policies.

From SPUC: The British government is planning to give teenage mothers personal contraception counsellors to prevent them having more children. The strategy will be a joint venture between local councils and NHS primary care trusts which aims to provide each teenage mother with a counsellor who will advise on how to look after the children and also how to obtain and use contraception. Mr Norman Wells, from the Family Education Trust, said: "So long as the Government encourages teenage sexual activity by making contraception freely and confidentially available in school clinics and other settings, teenage pregnancy rates will remain high and sexually transmitted infection rates will continue to soar." [Telegraph, 20 July]

The number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is continuing to rise in Britain, according to the latest figures from the Health Protection Agency. The rate of genital herpes has gone up by nine percent and chlamydia has gone up by four percent, while syphilis and gonorrhea have gone down by one percent. Overall there is a two percent rise in the diagnoses of STIs, with an especially high rate among young people and gay men. Professor Pat Troop, chief executive of the Health Protection Agency, said: "There is mixed news in these figures. Some infections now appear to
be slowing down. But there is no room for complacency. The picture for young people remains particularly worrying." [BBC, 20 July]