Teaching safe sex
published: Tuesday | April 4, 2006

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM responding to the letter dated March 28, entitled 'About the condom'. It is very difficult for any parent to think that their child is sexually active no matter their age and it is so much more difficult to teach your child sexual education. At this point in our society, children are very much sexually active and there is not much that we can do, except teach safe sex to school-age children.

I personally teach safer sex practices in regards to HIV/ AIDS/STI prevention to youth between the ages of 10 to 19, a part of which is the proper use of the condom (male and female condoms). Abstinence from any sexual relations (necking, petting, sexual intercourse and oral sex) is the theme of safe sex. HIV/AIDS/STI is affecting more Jamaican youth than adults and I believe it is a selfish notion for anyone to prevent sex education to be taught in a classroom setting, where the facts can be shared in an intelligent manner by qualified teachers.

Please do not short-change the future of our children by withholding the correct information that could potentially save their lives. One sexually transmitted infection can be the opening for HIV/AIDS so tell children to abstain, or teach them the proper way to put on the condom to minimise the risk of becoming infected.

I am, etc.,

MICHAELA CAMERON

mteleza@yahoo.com

Mandeville

Via Go-Jamaica