Advice on... Alcohol and sex
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Young people are more likely to engage in risky sexual activity after consuming alcohol. FPA's Clare Fanstone offers advice on how to discuss the dangers of mixing alcohol and sex, and looks at the impact such behaviour can have on young people's lives.
Q: How common is mixing sex and alcohol?
Alcohol and sex is a potent mix and Britain's drinking culture means that youth workers are often confronted by it in some way. A government survey in 2007 showed that 90 per cent of teenagers have tried alcohol by the time they are 15, with more than a third drinking alcohol once a week or more. Radio 1's Bare All Survey in 2007 also found more than a third of young people had consumed alcohol before having sex for the first time. Things like "Dutch courage" and using alcohol as an excuse for sexual behaviour are just some of the reasons given.
Poor sexual health practices, such as not using condoms or contraception, and being pressurised into sex often go hand-in-hand with young people consuming alcohol. Because alcohol has serious implications for the sexual health of young people, FPA ran the first national campaign (One too Many) for 18- to 30-year-olds. For anyone working with young people, being confident about the issues and giving the right information is an essential skill.
Q: What are the risks of such behaviour?
It's not just about health. There are sexual, emotional and personal risks to be considered.
Most young people are less likely to use a condom if they've been drinking, creating a risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STIs in 16- to 19-year-olds have risen 24 per cent since 2003 with the most common being chlamydia, genital warts, genital herpes and gonorrhoea. Some are easily cured but others, such as herpes, aren't and can have long-lasting consequences on health and wellbeing.
Unintended pregnancy is another obvious risk of unprotected sex.
Although on its way down, teenage pregnancy in the UK is still the highest in Western Europe. One of the many causes is when contraceptive pills are missed, forgotten about or lost by sickness after drinking alcohol.
As well as the physical effects, there are many emotional aspects of drunken sex to consider, as well as the obvious risks to personal safety. For example, young people may not have been able to give consent to a sexual act.
The regret experienced by young people when they have been drinking and engaging in sexual activity is evident. In one survey nearly a third of teens said they were unhappy with the way they lost their virginity because they were too drunk. Not being able to remember what happened when they were drunk causes confusion and can be upsetting. Later on, texts, photographs and posts on social media may start appearing. They can be illegal and should be treated as bullying.
Q: How can professionals make young people aware of the dangers?
Young people need to know the facts. It is illegal to engage in sexual activity under the age of 16 and illegal to drink unless they are 18. However, we know that lecturing young people about the dangers of alcohol use and sexual activity does not work. Young people don't want to be told what to do.
Some of the ways around it are developing fun, interactive sessions with young people in groups. Working one-to-one with young people can be useful for starting conversations about alcohol, risk and sexual activity, in a non-judgmental way, allowing the young person to explore attitudes.
Creating an "attitudes continuum" activity with a series of statements relating to sex and young people including statements around the law can work well. As well as some facts, this gives young people a chance to discuss what they might do in a situation.
Exploring some of the consequences is useful too. They'll probably be aware of STIs but they may not know how easily they can be transmitted or some of the long-term effects. Good-quality leaflets designed for young people that they can take away are invaluable.
Young people should be made aware of where and when they can access contraception, help and advice. Depending on the area, contraceptive clinics, drop-in services and the C-card scheme are good starting points.
Clare Fanstone is training manager for FPA
MORE INFORMATION
FPA runs the training course "Alcohol Use, Sexual Activity and Young People", which is aimed at those who work with young people. It also provides a series of leaflets as well as youth work support. See www.fpa.org.uk.
