Madam, - Much media attention was given last year to Irish youth behaviour in relation to binge-drinking, drugs, obesity, sex, suicide tendencies and violence. The Irish Times/TNS mrbi youth poll showed how substantial these problems were in our country. In relation to sex, the majority of those surveyed used contraceptives in the hope of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Kathryn Holmquist wrote a series of articles on these problems and stated in one of them that "it's time we got tough on the people making money from the sexualisation of children before we become desensitised to the horror of child porn."
The Government is tackling some of these problems. But it seems to us that the Government, the churches, the schools and parents are not doing enough to motivate young people to change their lifestyles voluntarily. Unrealistic? The Uganda experience suggests otherwise.
The gynaecologist Dr Miriam Duggan (Opinion, January 5th) wrote that the behaviour change campaign in Uganda drastically reduced HIV/AIDS. A Harvard University study found that from the late 1980s to 2001 the number of pregnant women infected with HIV dropped from 21.2 per cent to 6.2 per cent. In contrast, in Botswana, where condoms are officially promoted as the solution, 38 per cent of pregnant women were HIV-positive in 2001.
There have been those in the media, including public representatives, who have been advocating greater availability of condoms for young people in schools and elsewhere as a means of "Safe Sex". Dr Duggan shows, referring to medical evidence, how misguided this advocacy is. She also refers to the Durex manufacturer's disclaimer - obviously the company is protecting itself against possible future legal actions.
The alarming increase of STDs among young people in this country has become a serious health problem. We urge Government Ministers to take heed of the suggestions made by Dr Duggan. - Yours, etc.,
IVO O'SULLIVAN, Family and Media Association, Blackrock, Co Dublin.