Women’s Health Victoria Reg. No A0029795W ABN 33365284944
Level 8, 255 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC Australia 3000
T
Postal Address GPO Box 1160, Melbourne VIC Australia 3001
Media Release
Wednesday 6th October, 2010
WHV calls for statewide strategy on sexual and reproductive health
Victorian women’s health policy experts and advocates have welcomed calls for targeted
sexuality education around the issue of sex and alcohol use in teens. The issue highlights a
growing need for a statewide strategy on sexual and reproductive health.
Executive Director of Women’s Health Victoria, Ms Marilyn Beaumont, said that it was crucial
to educate young people through the real issues and choices that they face, including
decisions around alcohol consumption.
“Sexuality education needs to take into account a range of issues:
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address social influences
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develop communication and negotiation skills
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encourage openness
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equip young people with skills to decode media messages
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as well as assist them to make decisions around alcohol consumption
“Excessive alcohol consumption and the increase in teen sex is a shared responsibility for
young women and men – our education must address both in ways that are gender
sensitive,” Ms. Beaumont said.
“We have seen far too many incidences lately of what can happen when excessive alcohol
consumption affects decision making around sexual activity. We have to make sure we are
equipping our young people with the skills to handle these social situations with awareness.
“Women’s Health Victoria and other organizations have been advocating for a statewide
sexual and reproductive health strategy to target and address the high rates of unwanted
sex, violence against women and unplanned pregnancies.
“For young women in years 10 and 12, experience of unwanted sex has increased from 28.1
to 37.8 percent of sexually active female students in 2008. Statistics like these emphasise the
stark need to provide better skills and information to our young people.
“We will be seeking to hear from Labor, Liberal and Greens parties at our Womens Health
Policy Forum on Monday the 11th October, what plans or policies they propose to address
sexual and reproductive health in Victoria,” Ms Beaumont said.
The WHAV Setting Our Agenda Health Policy Forum will be held Monday 11th October at the Queen
Victoria Women’s Centre with a press conference at 1pm
resources/publications-resources-by-topic/post/10-point-plan-for-victorian-women-s-health-2010-2014/
For further information contact:
WHV Executive Director Marilyn Beaumont on 0419 597 516 or Media: Anaya Latter on 0432
121 636
NEWS 
