The Daily Mail has been trying to raise public anxiety over teenagers, sex and the contraceptive pill to reckless levels
Corcoran, C.
Nursing Times 94(9): 23
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0954-7762 PMID: 9735741 Document Number: 488518
The Daily Mail is opposed to the provision of family planning counseling and argues that all family planning advice is a conspiracy of the Left. The publication recently devoted its front page to a story claiming that 10% of girls take oral contraception by reaching age 15 years. This study was based upon 13 words in a 13-page Department of Health document published weeks earlier which stated that an estimated 10% of resident women aged 14-15 years attended family planning clinics. Only like-minded conservatives were called upon to comment in the publication. The Family Planning Association's press office fielded many calls the morning the story broke, explaining to callers that the organization was pleased to see that so many young people were using family planning clinics' services and that it hoped the figures would increase in the future in the interest of checking the incidence of unplanned pregnancy, abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases. Related radio news coverage ensued.