Pubdate: Thu, 02 Aug 2012
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun
Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Tamsyn Burgmann

TEENS STILL TRADE SEX FOR DRUGS, BOOZE

Boys, girls almost equally likely to do it; having close family tends 
to limit poor sexual choices

Teenagers are trading sex for drugs and alcohol at a low but steady 
rate, yet the vast majority of them attend school and live at home 
with their parents, a new University of B.C. study suggests.

Its lead author says research indicates the problem has been 
occurring "in the shadows," but that a positive message has also 
emerged from the findings.

"Family makes a big difference," said co-author and UBC Prof. 
Elizabeth Saewyc. "When parents talk with kids about their values and 
goals and when they model healthy romantic relationships, this does 
influence their own kids' sexual decision-making."

The study involved 2,360 students in Grades 7 to 12 from 28 schools 
in southeastern B.C. using survey data from a biennial questionnaire 
conducted by the East Kootenay Addiction Services Society.

Authors of the study, which was published Wednesday in the Canadian 
Journal of Human Sexuality, say the findings are similar to studies 
conducted in Quebec, the U.S. and Oslo, Norway.

"Given that it has been documented in other industrialized nations, 
one would expect this is happening in other parts of Canada and other 
parts of B.C.," Saewyc said.

She said further studies are needed to learn how pervasive such 
exchanges are and to help track whether sex-education programs and 
other prevention strategies are effective.

The study found that just over two per cent of teens who have ever 
tried alcohol, marijuana or other drugs have also exchanged sex for 
those substances.

Boys and girls were almost equally likely to make the trade, while 83 
per cent of boys and 98 per cent of girls who did so lived at home with family.

"We do know that the kids who felt like they weren't supported or 
cared about by their families were much more likely to be trading sex 
for alcohol or drugs," Saewyc said.

Young girls swapping sexual favours with older guys who have cars and 
money is nothing new, said Diane Sowden, executive director of the 
Coquitlam, B.C.-based Children of the Street Society. She said the 
acts often occur at parties and for something as little as a car ride.

Her organization runs about 500 workshops on sexual exploitation each 
year, reaching around 30,000 youth around the province.

Sowden has watched teenagers' attitudes shift with education.

"So it's not the norm, and everybody does it and it's just 
acceptable," she said. "Now you have a youth voice talking on the 
other side that maybe this isn't the greatest idea, maybe there are 
risks to this, what other activities can I get involved into get 
friends without having to exploit myself?"

Repercussions of the behaviour include the risks associated with 
having a high number of sexual partners and include contracting 
sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and hepatitis C.

It's also associated with emotional distress such as suicidal 
thoughts or self-harm such cut-ting of the skin.

People who barter for sex with youth in exchange for substances are 
engaging in child exploitation, Saewyc said.

The study also suggests that teens who are highly impulsive were more 
likely to engage in trading sex for substances. Further, it found 
illicit substances beyond booze and marijuana were more likely to be 
involved and teens who traded sex also had higher rates of weekly 
binge drinking compared to other students.

Saewyc said substance-abuse issues were likely associated with the 
findings, but social conditioning might be playing a role, too. 
"You've got to wonder about the number of songs and media that 
encourage young people to consider being a hustler, being a ho."

Saewyc said she hopes the results prompt further discussion both 
within families and the broader community. "Contrary to popular 
opinion, teenagers do listen to their parents," she said.

The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, a 
federal government agency.
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