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CFAC
Comments: Does anyone think Canada is not as serious?
Does anyone think that public education "sex ed"
has reduced disease?
A
"promiscuous 10%" of the population who have
multiple partners are fuelling a UK sexual health crisis,
say experts.
Attempts
to cut sexually transmitted infections will fail unless
this 10% is encouraged to change its behaviour, the John
Moores University team said.
They told the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
how poor sex education and sex on TV was to blame.
But
a growing minority of people are abstaining from sex,
say researchers.
Multiple
Partners
According
to research published in New Scientist, a small percentage
of the population - 1% - have absolutely no interest in
having sex with men or women.
This group of 'asexuals' are coming together and forming
virtual communities via the internet to insist on their
right not to have sex, the report said.
The
opposite is true of the "promiscuous 10%" who
started their sex lives at an early stage and have multiple
partners, according to Professor Mark Bellis and his colleagues
in Liverpool.
Figures
show one in 10 young people has already had sex by the
time they are 14.
About
10% of UK adults have had an STI and 13% have visited
a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic.
Overall,
708,083 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
were diagnosed with an STI in 2003.
Ignorance
Professor
Bellis and colleagues say society is ignoring the problem
for fear of upsetting a vociferous minority.
"Perhaps
a greater level of statutory, pertinent and timely sex
education is now required despite the complaints of a
few.
"At
national level, the choice to guarantee the delivery of
high quality sex education is evaded, often to avoid offence
to a sensitive but vocal minority," they said.
A
BBC poll, conducted by ICM, of 1,010 adults in England,
Wales and Scotland found most people would like measures
to change people's behaviour to cut rates of sexually
transmitted infections.
Professor
Bellis and his team also criticised the portrayal of strong
sexual images in films and television, where there was
usually no attempt to promote safe sex.
"More
realistic portrayals of sex, condom use, and safer sex
practice in the media may, again, upset a few but may
also help counter the sexual innuendo that currently promotes
promiscuity but provides no hint of safe sex behaviour,"
they said.
Long
waiting times at GUM clinics due to underresourcing is
only adding to the problem, they said.
Action
A
spokesman for the Terrence Higgins Trust said: "This
research reflects some of the reasons for the rises in
STIs that we have seen in the UK over the last few years,
and we support its calls for consistent, well delivered
sex education in schools.
"However,
we would caution against using the term 'promiscuous'
when describing anyone who has an active sex life.
"Labelling
people in such a way isn't helpful - we need to listen
to people and give them the information and support they
need to ensure their sexual well-being."
A
spokeswoman from the Family Planning Association said:
"Anyone can be unlucky enough to get an STI.
"Current
high levels cannot be blamed on one group alone.
"I
do not think this 10% rule holds up."
Paul
Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary,
said stigmatising those who seek help could drive the
problem underground instead of solving it.
The
Department of Health said it was committed to tackling
the rise of STIs and that millions of pounds had been
allocated to the sexual health strategy.
A
spokesman said: "This sets out the work we are doing
with young people to help them resist pressure to have
early sex, improving sex and relationship education to
increase their awareness of risk and knowledge of how
to protect themselves."
He
said the government's investment in GUM clinics clearly
reflected the importance of sexual health, which would
be a key issue addressed in its imminent Public Health
White Paper.
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