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ENHANCING SEXUAL WELLBEING IN SCOTLAND - A SEXUAL HEALTH AND RELATIONSHIPS STRATEGY: Analysis of Written Responses to the Public Consultation
CHAPTER 17: ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
17.1 There were some particular issues which some respondents thought should have had a place in the Draft Strategy - or at the very least be acknowledged as an issue associated with the Draft Strategy.
Several respondents believed that the Draft Strategy should make more reference to the role alcohol and drugs can play in affecting sexual behaviour and responsibility.
A few responses noted that the whole Draft Strategy needs to be set within the context of a falling and ageing population in Scotland.
"There is no recognition in the strategy that sexual health and relationships have a demographic effect. Parenthood should be presented as a positive outcome of good sexual health." (Individual)
Many responses thought that the Draft Strategy does not give enough prominence to the alternatives to termination and that there should be more acknowledgement, of and treatment for, post-termination trauma
A few Health Professionals suggested the idea that if age of consent were lowered, it would be easier to encourage young people to access sexual health services.
Several Individual respondents thought there should be more emphasis about the possible health and medical risks associated with homosexual sex. Similarly, several respondents thought there was not enough emphasis on the emotional and medical dangers of under-age sex and sexual activity outside of a stable relationship (preferably marriage) and not enough information about the failure rates of contraception.
There were some concerns that the Draft Strategy does not adequately deal with issues associated with sexual abuse and coercive sex.
Some responses were from people who held the belief that emergency contraception (The Morning After Pill) is an abortifacient and wished the Draft Strategy to include a statement to that effect. However, their sincere belief is contrary to the UK Health Departments' medical advisers, and also to the legal position, which is that emergency contraception does not fall within the laws governing termination. Though that position was determined by a judicial review in England, it applies to Scotland too, since the licensing of medicines is reserved under the Scotland Act to the Westminster Parliament.
It was suggested that the Draft Strategy should focus more on addressing some of the negative elements of sexual health and sexual behaviour such as the risk of grooming in internet chatrooms for young people; the issue of "date rape" drugs; and the importance of peer pressure on young people's sexual development - which all need more emphasis.
There were criticisms of the layout and structure of the Draft Strategy:
"The document is disjointed and poorly written" (Social Health)
"The strategy is very repetitive and not very clear to understand (Individual)
"Misleading and distorted document" (Individual)
"The summary does not reflect the strategy" (Faith Group)
"Should have been accompanied by a road-show explaining the strategy" (Medical Health)
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