Madam, - Holly Fawcett (December 22nd) correctly points out that an unwanted pregnancy is not the only "risk" facing the sexually active who fail to follow the usual prescription for "safe sex".
She regards a sexually transmitted infection (STI) as the real risk of unprotected sex. Parents, she advocates, should be promoting safe sex to teenagers under the legal age of consent.
But surely no loving, responsible parent would ever condone in this way the sexual activities of their teenaged children, knowing such sexual permissiveness is a sure recipe for blighted, unfulfilled lives and damaged relationships.
Without giving her source of information, Ms Fawcett assures parents that condom use offers 99 per cent protection for their sexually active teenagers against both the risk of pregnancy and transmission of STIs. Even the condom manufacturers make no such claims for their products. Durex states on its website: "For complete protection from HIV and other STDs the only effective measure is sexual abstinence or limiting sexual intercourse to mutually faithful uninfected partners". A spouse, for instance!
Patently, the promotion of condoms as a way to stop the transmission of STIs is grossly irresponsible. The most a condom will do is reduce the risk and medical literature clearly shows condoms have a 10 to 13 per cent failure rate for pregnancy and a 10 to 20 per cent failure rate for the HIV virus.
People, especially parents of the young and vulnerable, have the right to be told the truth about condoms. - Yours, etc.,
Mrs D. BOURKE,
Lee Road,
Cork.