Young people warned about having ‘one too many’
Highlighting the relationship between alcohol and sexual health is the aim of a national campaign supported by Warwickshire’s Respect Yourself Campaign.
Sexual Health Week will be held between 14 and 20 September and is organised annually by the fpa (family planning association) to remind people about their right to good sexual health.
This year’s campaign, called ‘One too many’, will highlight how drinking too much alcohol can seriously affect the decisions a person makes when it comes to sex and sexual health.
It could lead people in to embarrassing situations that they would rather forget or perhaps take unnecessary risks such as having unprotected sex, the consequences of which could include unplanned pregnancy or catching a Sexually Transmitted Infection like Chlamydia.
Last Christmas, Warwickshire County Council’s Respect Yourself Campaign and partners ran a similar campaign urging young people to ‘Stay in Control’ of their actions when drinking alcohol.
Jenny Whateley, Respect Yourself Campaign Co-ordinator, said: “We are pleased that the fpa are focussing this years campaign on the relationship between alcohol and sexual health.
“Although people don’t always go out to get drunk and have sex, it does happen. This is a particularly important time to highlight the issues because many young people will be starting college or university, where they may feel tempted to drink in excess.
“Of course we wouldn’t recommend this, but it is essential that they stay in control of their actions at all times and avoid risky situations such as unprotected sex or regrettable sex with someone they don’t even know. It is best to think about how you would deal with this before it happens.”
Helen King, Deputy Director of Public Health from NHS Warwickshire, said: “Starting college or university is an important time of transition in life, moving from childhood into adulthood, which brings complex decisions and choices.
“We believe the ‘One too many’ campaign will help young people make their own informed sexual health choices.”
A number of agencies will be working in partnership with the Respect Yourself Campaign to set up stalls at Freshers’ Fair’s across the county during Sexual Health Week. These will offer information for students on a variety of subjects from relationships and contraception to Sexually Transmitted Infections.
To find out more about the Warwickshire Respect Yourself Campaign, visit http://www.respectyourself.info or for more information regarding health, visit http://www.warwickshire.nhs.uk.