Girls ‘offer sexual favours for drugs’, MSPs hear

Meanwhile, teenage fathers are being sidelined throughout Scotland by professionals who are too focused on the needs of the mother, Holyrood’s health and sport committee was told yesterday.

The committee heard evidence for its inquiry into teenage pregnancy from health and education representatives from five Scottish councils, who have all seen links between sexual activity and drug and alcohol misuse.

Robert Naylor, director of education and leisure services at Renfrewshire Council, said: “We certainly have instances where our homelink workers are working with young women who have self-esteem issues and may be involved at weekends in offering sexual favours in return for drugs or alcohol.

“Therein, you have a cycle where you really need to work with young people on their self-esteem, their sense of self-worth, as well as steering them away from alcohol and drugs.

“These things often go together … particularly where drink is involved – and often young women are getting themselves into situations because of drink and because of desires to belong and fit into a peer group that is leading them into these kinds of behaviours.”