A little-known British government program to cut teen pregnancy raised hackles Friday as it became clear that educators have been teaching under-16s to divert their raging hormones into oral sex.
The program seeks to give schoolkids so-called "stopping points" which they can use to prevent full intercourse from taking place. These range through various "levels of intimacy," topping out with oral sex.
Called A PAUSE (Adding Power And Understanding to Sex Education), the program is broadbased and includes many elements that even family values campaigners approve of.
"A lot of it is quite unobjectionable and probably would do a lot of good," Robert Whelan, director of the conservative Family Education Trust, told globeandmail.com from London. But he is less pleased with other elements being introduced to schoolkids.
"They say they don't teach oral sex, but this just isn't the way to deal with children when their hormones are raging. Teaching them about oral sex is just going to make them want to try it," he said.
"The way to deal with teenage pregnancy isn't sex education," he added. "We need to shore up the influence of the family; [children] lack the moral influence to deal with this sex-saturated environment."
Britain has the highest incidence of teen pregnancy in western Europe and has set a goal of halving the rate by 2010. A PAUSE, developed by University of Exeter professor John Tripp, is one of several government schemes and has been operating with little notice for seven years.
That could soon change, even without lobbying by the likes of Mr. Whelan. A bill currently before the House of Lords seeks to tinker with the age of consent as well as create criminal penalties for anyone making "arrangements" for teens wanting to have sex.
Mr. Whelan noted Friday that the law, which he said has received almost no publicity, could criminalize several existing government programs, including A PAUSE. "Providing [children] with sexual advice, contraceptives and the like, a lot of people would say that that's making the arrangements."
Both Dr. Tripp and Mr. Whelan have the same goal: Reducing the number of schoolkids having sex and getting pregnant. But their tactics differ widely. Dr. Tripp seeks to convince children that they have multiple options and can hold off on intercourse until they are older. Mr. Whelan would prefer a renewed focus on the family, which may help teens deal with the "sex-saturated" world around them.
"Sex is everywhere" he said, a little wearily. "It just permeates society. When I come to work I see a huge billboard advertising a show. It says: 'Boys, you have a date tonight and can only clean one part of your body. Which will it be, your teeth or your genitals?'"
