Condom campaign causes shock waves

A NEW radio station has provoked shock waves over the airwaves through a new sexual health campaign which involves distributing 30,000 condoms in night clubs.

The condoms are to be distributed throughout the South-East by BEAT 102-103, Ireland's first regional radio station. It's part of the station's sexual health awareness campaign aimed at promoting sexual responsibility amongst young people in the region.

But one parents group has already said that studies show that safe sex isn't safe anymore. The Congress of Catholic Secondary Schools Parents Association drew attention to a study from Nottingham University in the UK, which shows that making condoms more available ultimately leads to an increase in sexually transmitted disease and infection, and more crisis pregnancies.

But BEAT 102-103 chief executive Kieran McGeary said that given the age group of the station's target market, he felt the station was ideally placed to inform listeners about relevant and important topics such as sexual health. "As BEAT 102-103 is a medium which is effectively reaching the young people of the South-East, we feel its an ideal forum to get the message across that if you are going to have sex, take responsibility for your actions and ensure it's safe."

The branded condoms will be distributed at BEAT 102-103 promotional events and selected nightclubs throughout the South-East.

Mr McGeary stressed that the campaign was not in any way encouraging sexual promiscuity or under-age sex amongst young people. "We are not in anyway trivialising the subject or encouraging promiscuous sexual activity amongst young people quite the opposite in fact. Condoms will not be given to under-18s."

CSPA PRO, Barbara Johnston, said the evidence is there that making condoms more freely available encourages sexual promiscuity.

The study has shown that safe sex is no longer safe and that there are infections that are passed on, even when wearing a condom," she said.