Modern Ireland’s love of sex on TV

We are what we watch and most shows on television today openly promote sex, violence and drugs.

Sex and the City was one of the shows used in new research that found teenagers who watch racy programs are twice as likely to become pregnant before adulthood.

The study carried out by Chicago based Rand Corp, a company that specialises in behavioral science, is the first definite link between teenagers viewing habits and their sexual activities.

“Watching this kind of sexual content on television is a powerful factor in increasing the likelihood of a teen pregnancy. We found a strong association,” said lead researcher Anita Chandra.

Similar debates have been raised over children’s exposure to video game violence, and whether this increases anti-social behaviour.

But is the amount of sex on TV today reflecting society or is society mimicking what is pumped into living rooms every night?

That 70’s Show, Friends and Scrubs are all shows popular among teenagers that openly discuss sex in dialogue, or depict it on screen. Is it TV drama that is to blame for high rates of teenage pregnancy or is the problem deeper rooted?

Enda Saul, Programmes and Communications Manager of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency believes that sole blame can not be placed on Television.

“Exposure to sex on television plays a role in shaping teenage reproductive health outcomes, it is not the only factor involved.  Our research has found that other factors, such as the role of parents, relationships and sex education in schools and other socio-economic factors have an influential role on teenagers’ sexual health?”

Society has progressed drastically in the last twenty years, particularly in Ireland. It’s not surprising that the TV shows mentioned above are among the most popular amongst Irish boys and girls.

While teenage pregnancy rates in Ireland have actually fallen in recent years, the numbers travelling to the UK for abortions has increased substantially according to the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA).

The amount of racy material on the box paints a non consequential picture of sex to teenagers and this is probably the biggest danger.

Shows like Sex in the City don’t warn of the dangers of sex and do not educate youngsters about contraception. This linked with the diminishing presence of parents in modern lifestyle may be the main reason behind teen pregnancies.

The CPA believe it is easy to scapegoat the media but maybe it is more important to address how teenagers are educated about sex at home and in school.

“The Crisis Pregnancy Agency believes that improving knowledge about relationships and sexuality for adolescents is the most effective method of achieving a long-term impact on the incidence of crisis pregnancy, and to this end, the Agency has developed a number of resources to support relationships and sexuality education both in schools and in the home,” says Saul.

It is easy to scapegoat the media but maybe it is more important to address how teenagers are educated about sex at home and in school.

Maybe if parents didn’t rely on television as the babysitter and the sole educator of their children, teens would not look to the columns of Carrie Bradshaw to the answers of all of life’s questions.