Government's sexual health campaign takes budget cut

Published on Saturday 11 November 2006 13:02

The Government launched a hard-hitting safe sex campaign today - but at a fraction of the original budget.

Its 4 million advertising campaign is in response to rising sexually-transmitted infection (STI) rates.

The campaign features teenagers wearing pants with slogans such as "I've got gonorrhoea".

The message is that people cannot tell by looking at someone whether they have an STI.

Campaigners welcomed the effort despite the revelation that the Government will spend less than it originally intended.

In 2004, it pledged to spend 50m on advertising over three years.

But Public Health Minister Caroline Flint refused to confirm that the Government would meet this pledge.

Rates of STIs have risen since the 1990s, with one in nine sexually-active young people being diagnosed with chlamydia.

In July, the Health Protection Agency revealed sex infections rose by three per cent to 790,387 between 2004 and 2005.

Ms Flint said sexual health was a key priority.

She said: "

This is not about encouraging promiscuity but saying to those who are already sexually active: sex without a condom is seriously risky so always use one."