Teenage Risk Taking Behaviour

“Children nowadays love luxury, have bad manners, contempt for authority,disrespect their elders… They contradict their parents, chatter in front of company, gobble up their food, cross their legs and tyrannise their teachers.”
Socrates 470 – 400 B.C.

Lets talk…

As parents we…
Parents are the most influential people in children’s lives.
Parents love their children and want what is best for them.
Sometimes parents feel that they lack the facts and skills necessary to promote their child’s personal development.

We can protect our children’s future
through active parenting,
being involved and
being aware.

key parenting skills
Lets talk…

TEENS AND RI
Unconditional
love
Relationship
Discipline &
Boundaries
Communication

influences
Lets talk…

What influence does family
background have?
Family breakdown
Communication
Communication about sex

peer pressure
Lets talk…

Teenagers Experience of Sex
‘I didn’t feel ready, all my friends egged me on by telling me that it was excellent and that they had all done it. Half of them haven’t: they wanted me to do it so I could tell them all about it’
Teen Pregnancy Report

Teenagers Experience of Sex
‘I thought that once you were going out with a bloke you had to sleep with them, that was the process.I really thought that. And you didn’t. And I was thinking that I have to make the move before they do’
Teen Pregnancy Report

Teenagers Experience of Sex
‘I just wanted to get it over and done with so I could say ‘yeah I’ve done it’ and now I can find a bloke who likes me and maybe it will be better’
Teen Pregnancy Report

Lets talk…
media

What are we selling ?

Cooking Oil

What are we selling?

What are we selling?
?

What are we selling?
?

On the March 13th episode of Friends there were “jokes about Ross’ promiscuity, his lesbian ex-wife, Ross having sex with a dinosaur and the size of Ross’ genitals; about Chandler being a homosexual and liking “gay” porn; about Monica being transgendered; about Phoebe’s sex life with Mike; and about Joey’s promiscuity. That’s all in a half hour show- not including commercial breaks.

Emmerdale
80% of soaps contain sexual content

What is the music message about sex?

Targeted at 15 year olds

SUGAR
“Serial snoggers,why some guys are addicted to lust”
AVERAGE AGE OF READERS:14.3
“Boys in their boxers (ooh!)”
“ The other day, my boyfriend told me that whenever we snog I give him a ‘stiffy’.”

Cosmo Girl!
Average age of reader 14.5
“You and guys and sex: the questions you can’t ask anyone-answered”
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“He wants sex 24/7…I love him and don’t want to lose him”

J-17
Average age of reader:15
“Sex survey results! The shocking truth you couldn’t tell your parents”
“Kiss with confidence – 7 ways to make him come back for more”
“Secret lesbians… we went upstairs and kissed”

The average person views more than
90,000 scenes of sex or suggested
sexual intercourse between the ages of 8 and 18!

facts
Lets talk…

Never before have adolescents been exposed
to such relentless media pressure to have sex as
early as possible
(Dr Trevor Stammers ‘Adolescent Sexuality’)

1 in 4 women and almost 1 in 3 men
have sex before they are 16 years old
(National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles 2000)
1 in 6 women and less than 1 in 4 men have sex before they are 16 years old
(“love for life” Southern Board Survey 2000/2001)
FACT

13.2% of young people admit to having had sex first at 14 or under
Love for Life SELB data
FACT
PREVENTION

1 in 10 sexually active teens have a
sexually transmitted infection
(National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle 2000)
PREVENTION
FACT

80% of girls and 40% of boys express
regret about their first sexual encounter
FACT
(National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle 2000)
PREVENTION

2 in 5 of our 14/15 year olds admit to having been drunk at least once.
1 in 6 of our 14/15 year olds admit to having been drunk 10 or more times
Love for Life SELB data
FACT
SUPERVISION

21% of young people who drink report taking their first alcoholic drink at 11 years old or under
PROTECTION
Love for Life SELB data
FACT

Earlier physical maturity
Low self esteem
Cultural shift
Media
Peer pressure
In relationships
Why do teens choose
to be sexually active ?
Alcohol

Lets talk...
outcomes

Teen births in N.Ireland
UK has the highest teenage pregnancy and birth rates in Western Europe. Our birth rates are twice those in Germany, three times those in France and six times the Dutch rate.

[ STI? ]
what is it ?
how would I get it ?
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.

CHLAMYDIA
70% of girls and 50% of boys who are infected do not have symptoms
Can cause infertility
Can be easily treated.
[ STI? ]
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.

A viral infection
Most common sti in Northern Ireland
Causes genital warts
Can cause cancer
Passed through genital skin to skin contact
[ STI? ]
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.
HPV

No cure
Causes AIDS
Spread most of the time through male/female sexual intercourse
Highest cases in Europe = Spain
[ STI? ]
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.
HIV

Can be fatal
Numbers of cases rising
Can be treated
Fatal if passed to a baby
[ STI? ]
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.
SYPHILIS

Can be painful
Can be passed through genital skin to skin contact
Can have this lifelong
[ STI? ]
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.
GENITAL HERPES

Numbers of cases are rising
Can cause infertility
Can be treated
Can be passed to a baby
[ STI? ]
1 in 10 sexually active teens have a sexually transmitted infection.
GONORRHOEA

How good are condoms at
Preventing pregnancy?
Theoretical failure rate
3 per 100
Trussel 1998
How effective are condoms
against Sexually
Transmitted Infections?
Make sex safe or safer?
User failure rate
13.9 per 100
Fu et al 1999

Virginity-
A healthy choice for a teenager?

‘If you want to be truly shocking these days there is really only one way to do it. Stay a virgin until you are 31 and then get married.
Friends star Lisa Kudrow told us recently that this indeed is what she has done. How has this amazing situation come about?
What could have possessed her?
How deeply weird’
(Daily mail 1998)

Lets talk…
other risk taking behaviours

Supporting young people today
SMOKING
SOLVENTS
ALCOHOL
DRUGS

“there is an association between all four of these risk taking behaviours” and “in a total of 16 cross tabulations, which, in every case, suggested a statistically significant association between sexual behaviour, and each of the other risk behaviours”
Prof Ed Cairns “Risk behaviour in post-primary school children 2001-2002” Page 10
INFORMATION
ATTITUDES & VALUES
SKILLS

Link between being drunk and sex
Icebergs and Babies data n=3021

What is a Drug?
Alcohol
Tobacco
Prescription
or O.T.C. Drugs
Illicit or
Illegal Substances

What is a drug ?
SOMETHING, OTHER THAN FOOD, THAT CHANGES THE WAY YOUR MIND OR BODY WORKS

Why do young people take drugs?
Acceptance within
the peer group
A fear of rejection
Pursuit of pleasure

tobacco
FAGS
Roll-ups
cigars
cigarettes
Smoking is a gateway drug

alcohol
Beer
SPIRITS
wine
Alco pops
Alcohol is a gateway drug
cider

alcohol
Binge drinking
A community problem
Misuse
And Abuse

media
advertising

Solvents
GLUE
aerosols
gas
Marker pens
1 out of every 4 people who die sniffing solvents are first time users
Tippex

CANNABIS
weed
dope
POT
Hash
grass
Wacky-backy
Marijuana
hallucinogen

Ecstasy
XTC
DOVES
adam
eve
E’s
Disco biscuits
stimulant

LSD
Trips
Tabs
blotters
acid
microdots
strawberries
hallucinogen

SPEED
Whizz
meth
uppers
Base
GO-faster
amphetamines
hallucinogen
paste
Billy
SULPH

heroin
smack
skag
H
depressant
junk
horse

cocaine
Stones
coke
crack
Charlie
SNOW
freebase
stimulant
C
rocks

Who Do Young People Get Their Drugs From?
45% of young people are offered drugs by their friends
31% are offered drugs in a bar/club
14% from a dealer in a club
5% get drugs from a dealer’s house
“the Know Drugs survey”
Breakthru August 2000
Who do young people get their drugs from?

36% of young people use drugs outdoors
27% use their drugs at friend’s house
19% use their drugs in a night club
“the Know Drugs survey”
Where do young people use drugs?

FEAR
SHAME
HEALTH
SELF-RESPECT
SPORTS
EMPLOYMENT
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE
MY AMBITIONS
MY DREAMS
FAMILY
MY FRIENDS
FINANCE
MEDIA
THE LAW
Most young people do not take drugs or abuse alcohol

HOW CAN WE AS PARENTS REDUCE THE CHANCES OF RISK TAKING BEHAVIOUR??
promote self-esteem, self-worth, self-value, self-respect
develop assertiveness that will help make good decisions or healthy choices

Is this how it is?
Kids-It’s good to talk

Lets talk…
skills

Scenario 1
Identifying Parenting Skills
Peter is 15. You have noticed that he comes home later than usual and goes straight to his room. You are concerned about the company he is keeping and are worried that he may be drinking or using some other substances. What should you do?

The following parenting skills may be required for Scenario 1:-
Active listening
Time Choices and consequences
Supervision/boundaries
Attitudes and values
If necessary work with the school to support
your child
Identifying Parenting Skills
Identifying Parenting Skills

Scenario 2
Lucy is 14. She is dating an older guy. They spend a lot of time at his place. What could be happening and what can you do about it?
Identifying Parenting Skills

The following parenting skills may be required for Scenario 2:-
Promote self-esteem
Unconditional love
Boundaries
Choices create consequences
Active listening
Identifying Parenting Skills

Scenario 3
Amy is 16. She went to a party last weekend with her friends. You know that she had been drinking but she is withdrawn and tearful since then. What other issues could be worrying Amy?
Identifying Parenting Skills

The following parenting skills may be required for scenario 3
Unconditional love
Make time to listen
Don’t make rash judgements/threats/promises
Boundaries
Seek professional help if necessary
Ask school for support
Identifying Parenting Skills

Scenario 4
Mark is 15. You have been called to school because of an incident involving your son smoking cannabis with two friends on school property. What do you feel the school should do? What should you do as parents?
Identifying Parenting Skills

Identifying Parenting Skills
The following parenting skills may be required for scenario 4
Knowledge, cannabis is an illegal substance
Attitudes and values
Choices and consequences
Active listening
Boundaries
Seek professional advise/support
Unconditional love
PSNI must be informed by the school

Key Parenting Skills
Find time
Communicate
Empathise
Set boundaries
Be a Role Model
Explain with choices there are consequences
Love unconditionally

Build self esteem by ensuring:
A sense of belonging within the family
Positive but realistic expectations
Promoting age appropriate self responsibility
Spending quality time with each child
Eliminate destructive criticism, acceptance

Need Help or Advice?
GP practice
Pastoral Care Team in your school
Breakthru Tel: [phone]
Don’t Blow It Tel: [phone]
Love for Life e-mail us at
www.loveforlife.org.uk Details in your booklet

empower young
people to :
Lets…

life
experience