ELEVEN year old girls on the Pill?

Tomorrow, I will post on the UK news item Number of 11-year-olds on pill soars, The Sunday Times, Page 1, August 1, 2010, but I am opening this up for discussion now. It begins: "More than 1,000 girls aged 11 and 12 have been prescribed the contraceptive pill by family doctors, a fivefold increase in the past decade." One of the most controversial assertions, I suspect, will be that "GPs may prescribe if they believe an underage girl is mature enough to have sex."

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Is a child of 11 ever mature enough to have sex? Is this situation, giving GPs the duty to maintain confidentiality of underage patients, setting up children to disregard their parents' values? A child of eleven would not be allowed to leave school without a parent's permission.

• Is it just about birth control; keeping the population of teenage, unwed mothers down?
• Are we now letting kids do whatever they want, regardless of the emotional and physical health risks posed by sexual activity at such a young age?
• Do you believe that a child of 11 is capable of making a mature decision about sex and giving valid consent?
• Who are these little girls having sex with... other 11-year olds or older boys/men who can take advantage of their vulnerability?
• Or, would you argue that an 11-year old, who is savvy enough to go to her GP behind her parents' back to ask for the Pill, is not vulnerable?
• Could this end up negating current laws on rape, for sexual activity with a minor?

Please leave comments. I will carry on tomorrow.

Comments

[Cara (thegirlwithpcos)]

Omg that is awful !! 11yr old girls aren't mature enough physically or mentally for sex! Despite the fact that underage is illegal, kids are never prosecuted for it even when they turn up pregnant. The law should be be strict on the kids who want/are having sex. GP's should certainly not be giving girls that age, the contraceptive pill!

Cara

[Lisa]

Hi Cara,

I'm interested to read your comment, especially as you are a quite young (but infinitely mature) woman yourself. I would love to know what some of your teenage friends think of this, if you don't mind emailing or tweeting the link to them too.

In regard to prosecuting, it's difficult, if not impossible, for a government to do that if the official position is that children don't possess the mental reasoning abilities to actually give valid consent to sex. The law assumes that children are too immature to make the appropriate decisions, and are vulnerable to being persuaded by older, more manipulative people. That's why child rape and "grooming of a minor" laws exist; to protect those who can't protect themselves.

However, going on the Pill, or even having a contraceptive implant, suggests that these 11-year olds want a regular sex life. Whether that means sex with one or multiple partners, one can only guess.

[billie+cara]

this is discusting we know of a girl in a year group wich is year 7 planning to have sex this easter holiday she has already,sucked her boyfriend of the same age off and she haas been in to hospital to have her whole widend so she could be fingerd and her mum does not care if she has sex aslong as it is with contrection we are totally discussted what the hell are they playng at they are 11 years of age.