Not Providing Birth Control Will Not Prevent Students From Having Sex!

March 5, 2009 Posted in News

Last month, Katie Freitas, a student at Stonehill College in Massachusetts, became so frustrated by the fact that her college would not distribute birth control, she decided to do something about it herself. Because she was concerned about the dangers of other students having unprotected sex, Freitas attempted to create a Sexual Health and Awareness Group on campus, but was denied by college administration. She then collected hundreds of free condoms from family-planning agencies and distributed them in the dormitories around campus.

However, when the administration heard about this, they quickly confiscated the boxes of condoms.

Now I understand the fact that Stonehill College, which is Catholic-affiliated, refuses to distribute birth control because it is against Catholic teaching. My school is also Catholic, and likewise does not distribute birth control of any kind at the student health center (there are also rumors that the school will take away any condoms or birth-control pills they find in students’ dorm rooms, but I have yet to hear any evidence to either support or deny this). However, having lived on campus, I know firsthand that not distributing birth control doesn’t stop students from having sex: I’ve heard the stories, seen the evidence, and overheard things I shouldn’t have (and didn’t want to!).

The fact is, if college students (or any person…like Bristol Palin?) want to have sex, they will—regardless of whether or not contraception is readily available. But the idea that my peers would have sex without birth control or protection from STDs scares me. Reports have shown that an average of 1 in 4 college students has an STD, and teen pregnancy is on the rise again in the U.S. after a 14-year decline. While I understand the importance of supporting values in religious-affiliated schools, isn’t students’ health and safety more important?

[Photo courtesy of Yale Daily News.]

1742615 Comments2009-03-05+19%3A39%3A40Laura+-+St.+John%26%23039%3Bs on "Not Providing Birth Control Will Not Prevent Students From Having Sex!"

Snooties says:
Thu, 5th Mar 200910:22 am

Wow, this is absurd. By not allowing condoms to be distributed, not only are they adversely affecting the health of their student body, they are also enforcing their own religion. I thought schools with religious affiliations were just that: affiliated, not preaching.

These schools need to wake up and face reality. Even good Catholic students are going to be having sex, and enforcing such archaic doctrines is not only foolish, it's reckless. Perhaps these colleges need to reconsider who's truly being irresponsible.

Liza - Grove City Co says:
Thu, 5th Mar 200910:35 am

To play devil's advocate(or the Pope's in this case?) When did College Students lose the ability to buy their own condoms? I think students should take responsibility for sex safe on their own. Once you graduate, your landlord isn't going to be passing out free condoms. You go to the drug store or get them from a clinic like a grown up. A Catholic school should not be expected to invest money in purchasing and distributing something that is against their doctrine. I do agree however that confiscating condoms distributed by a concerned student is way over board and destructive.

kiki says:
Thu, 5th Mar 200912:33 pm

Wow I wonder if they really take away any birth control found in dorm rooms… what about women who are on the pill due to health reasons? If that happened to me I would take them to court.

Sarah says:
Fri, 6th Mar 20098:43 am

I agree with Liza. It's nice that some schools distribute free contraception, but if your school doesn't because they're religiously-affiliated–stop bitching and go buy yourself some frickin' condoms. You're an adult and it's your responsibility to ensure that you aren't making babies while doing the nasty.

At the same time, I think it's silly for students at these schools to expect any open-minded support from their school's administration. If they're associated with the Catholic church, I think it's assumed that they're not going to condone sex out of wedlock (i.e. distributing free condoms to their students). That being the case, if you are not a die-hard "I'm-waiting-until-marriage-to-get-my-freak-on" type of person, then why the fuck did you go to a school that disagrees with your values? Consider your options a little more thoroughly next time.

erica says:
Fri, 6th Mar 20091:23 pm

I totally agree with Liza and Sarah. This school is probably not a PUBLIC school, being Catholic-affiliated WHY would they pass out condoms/ birth control to their students when premarital sex goes against their teachings & basic foundation?!

If you are going to participate in activities against your school & religious teachings, then it should be YOUR responsibility to take care of yourself.

Sorry but unless the school is a public, non-religious affiliated school then stop expecting the freebies. I do hope that it's not true that they confiscate dorm room birth control means, but it still is a religious school so condoms is like weed to a normal school ya know? lol there are different standards when attending a private VS public school.

erica says:
Fri, 6th Mar 20091:44 pm

sorry I meant to say "possessing condoms is just as bad as possessing weed"

Nikki says:
Fri, 6th Mar 20092:49 pm

Snooties> That was the best comment ever.

As for the women who are ranting about students buying their own condoms; yes.. you have a point that all students are adults and should be responsible for buying their own condoms. However, you can't ignore the fact that alot of students are on a very very tight budget, there are some people who can't even afford $14 for a box of condoms. ..

Plus we all know for the most part.. students are laaaaazy, busy, and generally broke. Some people don't have time between class, exams, group meetings, 1st job, 2nd job to drive to their nearest planned parent hood and pick up condoms between the hours of 8-5.

The point of this article was to highlight the fact that this young woman wanted to provide a service to safeguard the health of her peers and she was denied by the school. It's not her responsibility to look after their health, yet there she is trying to create a program that makes it easy and convenient for them to obtain condoms. Looking out for others? Sounds pretty Christian to me! (even though I am not one)

anonymous says:
Sun, 8th Mar 20097:40 am

No no no no no no no.

This is a PRIVATE CATHOLIC school. And for those of you who were confused, they didn't go into this girls dorm room and take her condoms away from her; she hung a bag OUTSIDE her door. A private catholic school should not be getting any crap whatsoever for upholding their religious views about pre-marital sex. And like others have pointed out, its the responsibility of the kids to go buy their own condoms. I'm not buying the tight budget crap; a guy would buy condoms at $10 a pop if he wanted to have sex.

And I'm someone who is not catholic and is currently having pre-marital sex. You just have to stop telling organizations what they can and can't do. I applied to a catholic school and they were going to give me half off admission had I gone. I'm not going to accept 19,000 in grants from a catholic school and they say shove it to their beliefs.

Jes says:
Mon, 9th Mar 20095:24 am

I agree with Sarah….

This is obviously incredibly ridiculous of the Catholic school's administrators, but WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A RELIGIOUS COLLEGE???

I wouldn't exactly expect to get a logical viewpoint from these folks, if you choose to go to a religious school, you have to deal with their ignorance!

Danyell says:
Wed, 11th Mar 20099:55 pm

extremists will do whatever they want. Its hilarious how all these people assume that by keeping the birth control/condoms/resources away from you – that will make people less horny and stop having sex? bahaha

by doing so, it is creating the exact opposite thing these extremists want. People should just stay out of everyones business, and stop pushing their beliefs.

Stephanie says:
Wed, 18th Mar 20096:52 pm

Just a comment to the buying your own condoms issue — YES, I agree they should — HOWEVER, safe sex just isn't encouraged enough! If more people were using condoms, they wouldn't have to be given out for free. But using condoms just isn't stressed as important in our society, and therefore we have to find another way for people to use them.

Secar says:
Fri, 19th Jun 20099:09 am

Just to say that…Catholic School did not asked every body to follow their religious values, so if you are non Catholic just do what ever you want… at the end of the day you will take responsible for your self.

Frankco says:
Wed, 24th Jun 200910:19 pm

It is quite understandable why the catholic church won't support birthc ontrol or abortions. Every child not born is one less child that their priests can molest.

Give the church a break!

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