Johnnys Blog

Scouts to Undergo Sex Education: Condoms in Camps

According to the updated guidelines of the Scouts Association, scout heads can distribute condoms amongst teenagers under them, “if they believe the young person is very likely to begin or continue having intercourse with or without contraception”. Apart from that, nearly 35,000 scouts will undergo sex education in which they will be able to “feel what a condom is like” and will be taught about relationships, sexually transmitted diseases and language. It is all being undertaken to “promote good sexual health within Scouting”.

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Over the years the number of Sexually transmitted diseases has been on the rise, especially in regions where education on maintaining good sexual health is not up to the standards. Scientists and experts believe that more than half the cases of people acquiring these STD’s do not know the risk they are facing when they have sexual intercourse with their partners. It is very important to understand the risk and the consequences one faces while having unprotected sex. It is therefore always better to be safe than to be sorry. The most common and fool proof way to avoid these STD’s is by using condoms.

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Preventing pregnancy is the sole aim of using a contraceptive but the question arises when there is an array of methods to impede fertilization. Prior planning and preparation to having sexual intercourse is mandatory for effective protection. Moreover all methods are not conducive for all couples and the side effects these methods leave behind cannot be ignored. But to learn how easily and effectively contraceptives are employed is definitely the need of the hour for many couples. Looking through the numerous options available and also consulting your doctor about the same is the first step towards birth control.

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The downside of wide exposure among today’s youth is an increased level of vulnerability to sexual encounters. Uncalled for pregnancies, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise as a result of lack of awareness and control. Creating awareness on such a sensitive topic is the need of the hour in order to avoid a life long stigma or trauma.Sexual Education is the primary step in the process embedding the right knowledge in an individual.  Sexual Education covers a wide array of fields related to sexuality which includes creating a consciousness about sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse and various other aspects that relate to human sexual behavior. Most eminent scientists view sexual education as an absolute quest for public health strategy.

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After a long process of negotiation, SSL International, the British company responsible for manufacturing the world’s best selling condom brand “Durex”, among other products, is being bought by the Anglo-Dutch producer of home cleaning products, Cillit Bang. This represents a new chapter in the long life of this condom brand. With ingenious campaigns and advertisements, they have achieved their goal of becoming one of the largest condom sellers in the world, with over 30% of the market. As a matter of fact, some time ago, there was an advertisement which was offering £500 to volunteers who were willing to test the quality of their latest range of products.

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The controversial policy of Provincetown, Massachusetts schools to allow school nurses to distribute condoms to any student who requests them has been reworked to include a more reasonably stringent age restriction. Initially, the policy allowed for children of any age to approach the school nurse for condoms. The controversy emerged with the realization that this meant that children as young as six could receive condoms this way. In addition, the policy allowed the student to receive these condoms without parental consent. After numerous calls from angry and concerned citizens and parents, as well as opposition from Governor Deval Patrick, the policy quickly changed.

The yet-to-be approved new rules make the condom distribution policy pertain only to students in the fifth grade or higher. Sexual education has been added in conjunction with this policy, though it still takes the control of condoms out of the parents’ hands. The policy does not allow any parent to opt out of this sexual education training. The school maintains that because 11 and 12 year olds, which is the average age of a fifth grader, face sexual and physical changes, which warrant the need for this education, and the access to condoms if needed.

Superintendent Beth Singer asserts that this change in wording is not an actual change of policy, only a rewording. The complaint by the schools is that the policy was vastly misinterpreted by media groups and caused a sense of hysteria over the policy that was far from intended. The Superintendent maintains that the revision is solely for increased clarity in the rules and is not a recant of the previous policy in any way.

Condoms are only effective if they provide a stable barrier during intercourse. Unfortunately, a self-report study of men who have used condoms reveal that over 40 percent of the men in question reported that they have had trouble with condoms that do not fit properly. Ill-fitting condoms can defeat the purpose of using protection in the first place.

Condoms should be snug enough to stay taught on the penis, but should not be so tight that they are inhibiting blood flow or threatening to break. In cases where the condom is too small, the men reported trouble with breakage, which can result in the transfer of diseases as well as pregnancy. In addition, a ‘small’ condom can restrict circulation and be uncomfortable for the male. A lowered sensation occurs and, as a result, he may be put-off of the idea to use condoms in the future. A condom that is too large for the male can pose equal threat of disease and pregnancy. Condoms that are too large can slip off during intercourse, causing exposure to the transfer of fluids for both the man and woman. In addition, men have reported that ‘baggy’ condoms lower their sensitivity and also lower that of their partners. This lowered sexual pleasure can once again cause men to avoid condom usage in the future.

Knowing that size does matter when it comes to condoms can be a relief for men who want to be responsible with their sexual encounters, but want to enjoy these intimate moments. Men should be proactive about finding a condom brand or style that fits best for their own body, and use them every time they have intercourse. Properly fitting condoms are not only a matter of safety; they are also a matter of pleasure. Men that are able to enjoy the full sensations of sex while wearing a condom are more likely to practice this safe-sex method.

A condom wrapper indicating that the “power” in your hands will be making its way to the NYC condom program real soon. In the fall of 2010, the newest design of NYC condoms will be hitting bedside drawers. The design is that of a Brooklyn resident who won the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s condom wrapper-designing contest. This is the first time NYC condom has held such a competition, starting on Valentine’s Day 2007. Since that inception, the program has distributed over 119 million Lifestyle brand condoms to the New York public. By placing this product in nightclubs, clinics, and other public places, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is helping raise condom use and stop the spread of infectious sexually transmitted diseases amongst the citizens on New York.

Luis Acosta, a former student at the art and design college, The Pratt Institute, beat out four other finalists to win the competition. Acosta’s design, a circular power button logo, will now be seen on NYC condom wrappers all over the city. Indeed, Acosta had power on his mind while designing the wrapper. The 29-year-old graphic designer stated, “I hope my package design reminds people that they are in control.” Being in control of one’s own sexual health is a tremendous drive behind the use of condoms and sets a strong example for NYC condoms and their purpose.

Acosta may even be able to see his design in campaign advertisements for the NYC condom. Six million of these condoms will be distributed at churches, bars, clinics and more this fall.

The Kepler Scientific Secondary School in Rome implemented a controversial new programme aimed at safer sexual practices of their students. Just a stones’ throw away from the Vatican, this Roman Catholic school placed condom vending machines in both the girls’ and boys’ toilets. This arouses some debate amongst the heavily Catholic region and the Church’s stance against any form of birth control method, including condoms.

The vending machines offer condoms at a lower price in hopes that the students will use them. While the school maintains that this issue is a direct result of the religious influence in the area, the birth rate in the country (1.3 births per woman) suggests that there is a large number of Italians using some form of birth control. Still, the speculation that schools are driven by the fear of the Catholic churches stance on birth control is present. The school hopes that other schools in the country will follow them and offer the condoms to their students based on our lead.

Those opposed to the measure assert that the school is trivialising sex. Capital doctor’s association head Dr. Mario Falconi has gone on record in opposition to the school’s policy, stating, “This is like recognizing you can have sex at school.” This sentiment reflects the unrelated to religion stance that sex has no place in schools. The machines not only allow students access to condoms, but they are placed in a private setting, this means the condoms may be attained without parental permission. Dr. Falconi insist there is no shortage of condoms in Italy and that since condoms are widely available, there is no need to place them in academic settings.

While the debate still lingers on in the educational system, in Rome, students are still able to purchase these condoms in their toilets. It is speculated by the Italian Student Union that, “Only in Italy would this cause a stir,” pointing out that many schools in Europe and The United States offer condoms to their students.

Dr. Sonnet Ehlers of South Africa has finally met her goal of creating an anti-rape condom for use by women in her native country. In 2009, a South African national report found that a staggering 28 percent of males in the country admitted to having committed rape. Of these numbers, 5 percent of these men said they had raped a woman within the previous year. With statistics like these, it is no surprise that women of South Africa live in fear of being traumatized for life by this horrible act. In fact, it was Dr. Ehlers’ own account while working on-call nearly 40 years ago that made this a personal goal for herself.

While on-call, Dr. Ehlers recounts working with a young rape victim who had come to her clinic. She says that the devastation that she saw in that young girls eyes, gave her such a strong reaction that she vowed that she would invent a way to safeguard women and girls from this problem in the future. This is where her new development “Rape-aXe” comes into fruition.

Understandably, Dr. Ehlers’ design is cringe-worthy to males. Of course, these devices only would come to harm men that are in the act of rape. It gives females a chance to fight back in some way, especially when their attacker overpowers them. The condom is inserted in the woman just as a tampon is. When a penis enters the condom, it is clamped down upon by many small “teeth.” The device causes intense pain, in addition to debilitating the perpetrator. If the man attempts to remove the condom himself, the condom only clamps down harder onto his penis. The device can only be removed by a doctor, allowing a shred of justice to come his way.

While Ehlers’ critics may complain that her device is archaic and barbaric, she gladly takes the association, stating, “Yes, my device may be a medieval, but it is for a medieval deed.”