Monday, February 23, 2009

NHS advertising for 'long term contraception'

Action: please complain to the ASA if you've seen these adverts.

From an email to CRNews: 'I would like to draw attention to the following (perhaps the readers of your bulletin would care to be involved) CASH Contraception and Sexual Health, which I believe is an NHS initiative, has plastered the sides of buses and bus shelters in Oxford with a campaign 'three questions about sex'. Perhaps this campaign is also running in other parts of the country.

You may have seen recently in the newspapers that the Advertising Standards Authority ruled against the prominent use of the word 'sex' in a poster campaign for a nasal spray for prolonging sexual intercourse. Thanks to complaints, including mine, this poster was rapidly removed. Can I ask anyone who cares strongly about the increasing intrusion of inappropriate advertising into public spaces, and who has seen this advertising, to take 5 minutes to visit the ASA website and submit a complaint. Just follow this link .

This is my own complaint for your reference, but obviously use your own words, not mine.

I object to this campaign on 2 grounds:

(1) I object to seeing the word 'sex' prominently displayed in public advertising where children of ages 5-11 can read it. The copy of the advertisement also asks the reader if they are worried about getting pregnant: another adult concern which should not be thrust upon little girls. There is also mention of sexually transmitted infections and condoms. I regard the pre-pubescent years as a time of necessary innocence when children should be shielded from knowing about adult matters such as sex, which can only cause them unnecessary worries. Seeing this advert prominently displayed in public places can only lead to them asking questions to which they are not yet sufficiently mature to receive the answers. I refer to the recent adjudication made by the ASA against AMI Clinic Ltd in case no. A08-78392.

(2) The contraceptive implants/injections are clearly being advertised to a teen/young adult market due to the style of the advertisement. The contraceptive injections/implants they are offering are not of course risk-free despite the tone of the advertisement, and the advertisers have clearly tried to cover their backs by adding small print to the effect that this contraceptive form does not protect against STIs and condoms should be used. This last statement is deceptive as it implies that condoms prevent STIs when it is well known that condoms offer no protection against the common STI, chlamydia, and provide a false sense of security in the case of other STIs, on account of the proven yet not publicised high failure rate of condoms.

I would ask the ASA to call on CASH to withdraw this campaign immediately as it is both inappropriate for public spaces and is deceptive in its wording.

1 comment:

Robert Crichton said...

World population needs to be controlled. The Earth cannot sustain the current rate of human population growth. The catholic church must respond to the fact of this problem and endorse contraceptive methods. I have a young family and am not concerned about these adverts if it educates young adults that there are options that will prevent unwanted pregnancy. They see more sex in wildlife programmes and in the farm fields. Sex is fun and especially while you are young, it is not fair to deny them that - and naive to try.

Pope Leo XIII's Prayer to St Michael

Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust down to Hell Satan, and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen