Abstinence Bill Withdrawn

We've just been having a chat in the office and here are a few initial thoughts:

It's always disappointing when conversations around hot topics aren't measured. It just reinforces our hunch that as soon as the word 'abstinence' gets mentioned the debate becomes polarized and there is no room for a healthy discussion. We don't like the word abstinence because, in our experience, it gets in the way of the kind of conversation we would want to have. It also becomes a smoke-screen that no-one can see through. We also don’t think that abstinence-only education meets the needs of sexually active young people.

It’s never right to treat young women as victims when it comes to their sexual health, but we do need to be aware that there are girls (and boys) who are vulnerable and the sex-ed lesson might not go far enough in meeting their needs. RA will back any policy that genuinely supports vulnerable young people and we will continue to do all we can to support them so that they know they have a choice to say ‘no’, just as much as a choice to say ‘yes.’ Bottom line is we believe young people benefit from every opportunity to talk to trusted adults about this stuff. We have frequent conversations with young people who still feel ill equipped to make the right choices and who don't know the difference between love and sex.

Although this particular focus of the debate is off the table, we are encouraged to see an appetite for genuine conversation about how to make sure their needs are met. Regardless of what the media might say, we know that falling in love, losing your virginity, having relationships all matter. The decisions we make in adolescence, do have an influence on who we become and the kind of relationships we feel we can have in the future.

Don't we all want the same thing essentially? That young people are able to embrace their self-worth, appreciate their interconnectedness and exercise their freedom to make choices that don’t damage themselves or others.