Nurses Warn over Teen Group Sex

April 30, 2005

CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update

Friday, April 29, 2005

UNITED KINGDOM:

" Nurses Warn over Teen Group Sex "

BBC News (04.27.05)

At a conference of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Harrogate,

school nurses said the nature of their work has changed from checking for

lice and administering vaccines to concerns about sex, binge drinking, and

drug abuse. An RCN survey of more than 1,200 school nurses found that 90

percent provided students with sexual health advice and support; two-thirds

dealt with substance abuse problems; and 90 percent handled issues relating

to student obesity.

At the conference, school nurses from London warned that some teens are

engaging in multiple-partner sexual activity known as " daisy-chaining. "

" Colleagues are coming across reports of groups of young people having sex

in large groups, " which is " obviously very worrying as far as sexually

transmitted infections and pregnancy " are concerned, said Judy McRae, a

sexual health nurse in London. " As we understand it, it involves groups of

older teenagers going round to each other's homes and having sex in a

similar way as swinging. "

Steve son, an RCN sexual health adviser, discussed the case of a

14-year-old boy diagnosed with HIV. The youth, who was not involved in

daisy-chaining, was shocked that he had contracted what he perceived to be

an older person's disease.

Other sexual health nurses cited peer pressure as the cause of young

boys initiating sex at earlier ages. In addition, some children feel

pressure to provide sexual favors because they are part of a gang culture or

are sexually exploited as a result of coercion, violence, trafficking or a

lack of money, said Liz , chairperson of the RCN School Nurse Forum.

" Risky sexual practices like this are the fastest way to spread

sexually transmitted infections like HIV, " said a Terrence Higgins Trust

spokesperson. " Sex and relationship education must improve so that young

people know how to protect themselves and their sexual partners. "

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