New figures have shown that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of girls uner 15 who have sought contraceptive implants in the past five years.
Sex on Female First
The figures have increased sixfold; government statistics disclose that nearly 5,000 teenagers below the age of consent were given the devices last year, compared with about 800 five years ago.
The figures come after it was revealed that girls as young as 13 have been fitted with contraceptive implants at school without their parents knowledge.
"There should be no patient confidentiality when the child is under 16," comments Lois Hillgrove, public relations consultant and partner of Hillgrove PR.
"With any other medical procedure, if a child is Under 16, the parents will always be told as only people aged 16 and over are presumed in English Law to have the capacity to consent to treatment unless there is evidence to the contrary.
"This seems to be completely ignored when it applies to sexual health, contraception and abortion. If parents are blindly unaware that their daughters are seeking contraception, this means that they are then not in a position to protect their daughter from potentially dangerous situations."
According to the NHS Information Centre, about 7,400 girls aged 15 or under had implants or injections last year, up from 2,900 in 2005/6. This included 2,500 who had injections last year, up from 2,100.
Lois continues: "Predatory older males are often on the scene pressuring 13 year old girls to have sex. Effectively, the schools are endorsing it by not notifying the parents that their child is sexually active below the legal age of consent.
"Also, contraceptive implants do not protect against AIDS or any other Sexually Transmitted Disease. The schools are in effect complicit in encouraging paedophilic sex. If it were boys being targeted by older men this would not be allowed let alone endorsed by schools.
"As a society, we do not value our young girls and these contraceptive implants fitted on 13 year old girls in school, a place of learning, are evidence of it."
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