|
A Crisis in Family life – Unwanted and Teenage Pregnancy
|
|
|
Teenage girls in England are more likely than ever to fall pregnant whilst at school a report suggests. Whilst this may help with the aging population problem, teenage pregnancies do reveal underlying factors in promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases (which are also on the rise).
Published in 2005 by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit, titled ‘Teenage Conception Statistics for England’ of which the most recent year for statistics is 2005, the report shows that for under sixteen year olds in 2005, there were 7,473 conceptions of which 57.5 per cent led to abortions, just fewer than 4,300 were aborted every year. This means approximately twenty under sixteens were conceiving every day and 11.5 per cent aborting every day in 2005. Whilst this particular year (2005) has bucked the downward trend, it will be interesting to see how the 2006 and 2007 results fare, when published.
Although the government is tackling teenage pregnancy with the ‘Teenage Pregnancy Programme’, and it is addressing STDs amongst the youth, one might feel this is a losing battle. Let’s look at the examples; instead of promoting accountability, responsibility and prevention, the emergency morning after pill is made more available, and debate rages whether this should or should not be available to under-sixteens. Free condoms are available in schools, along with class discussions about contraception, rather than creating an atmosphere of avoidance. So much so that parents are becoming increasingly concerned that they will not be informed by school authorities if the student has told the school that she is pregnant. The school is under no obligation to inform parents.
Another example are the comments made by the Chief Constable for North Wales regarding legalising certain ‘A’ class drugs. Or that clean needles are available in clinics so diseases are not spread by sharing needles. This does not stop the problem of needles and drug use, it only attempts to decrease disease spread by needles. Even advice in schools focuses on taking drugs safely, with students being told “know your supplier!”
The very freedom that we enjoy allows adults to behave in a way that teenagers will surely emulate, and will suffer the consequences, just as adults do.
It’s no good just blaming absentee fathers, too few youth clubs, or unemployment. Young people take the ideas from the people they see, the environment they live in and the media that surrounds them. They adopt their values from society, and its society that needs to seriously question itself about its values and why there is a crisis in families and communities in Britain today.
|
and 
. If you would like to know their meaning, please click here.