Government encourages condom-carriers

Saturday, 11 November 2006 12:00 AM

The government has launched a new sexual health campaign in an attempt to encourage young people to carry condoms while "on the pull".

A wave of TV, radio and magazine advertisements targeting those aged between 18 and 24 is set to begin later this month, in an effort to convince young adults to carry condoms.

"This is not about encouraging promiscuity, but saying to those who are already sexually active - sex without a condom is seriously risky, so always use one," public health minister Caroline Flint said.

"The aim of this campaign is to make carrying and using a condom among this age group as familiar as carrying a mobile phone, lipstick or putting on a seat-belt."

The Department of Health (DoH) is concerned that levels of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising because too few people are properly aware of the hidden risk of contracting an STI when having sex.

"The benefits of empowering young people - through this campaign - not only to know this fact but to act on it cannot be overestimated," said Anne Weyman, the chief executive of the Family Planning Association.

"Sustaining the campaign so it can make the biggest impact possible over the longest period of time will be key to its success."

According to the DoH, 90 per cent of girls and 70 per cent of boys own a pair of "pulling pants", but less than 20 per cent carry a condom with them. It is this discrepancy which the government's new initiative, complimenting existing efforts targeting those under 16 and those from socially excluded backgrounds, is seeking to address.

"The message of this campaign is that you can't tell just by looking whether someone has an STI," Ms Flint added.

"Some infections often have no noticeable symptoms and others cannot be cured, so taking responsibility for your own sexual health should always be your key priority."

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