Researching Young People and Sex in Northern Ireland

This paper reports on the first substantive attempt to accomplish in Northern Ireland what has been done in a number of other societies: namely, the investigation of the sexual attitudes and lifestyles of young people. Co-managed by the Family Planning Association Northern Ireland and the University of Ulster, the three-year research project focused on young people in Northern Ireland aged 14–25 years. In this paper we present some baseline results from the survey, which took place from May 2000 to March 2002 and achieved a quota sample of 1,013 respondents. They include the following: 53.3% of all respondents reported that they had sexual intercourse. Condom use at first sex was reported by 64% of sexually active respondents, 27.4% said they used no contraception. Peer pressure to engage in sex was more prevalent among males than females. Young people in Northern Ireland regarded friends as their most important source of sex education. School was the second most important source, but most respondents wanted more sex education in school. Beyond these baseline data, the findings of the research allow for an informed discussion of a number of key issues of concern regarding young people's sexual health, including the timing and circumstances of first sexual intercourse, and issues arising from sexual orientation. Finally, we suggest that an essential requirement for improved sexual health of young people would be to follow a more sex-positive approach, which encourages young people to discuss sexual matters openly with their peer and others.