The Need For Making Condoms Available To Students

HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest challenges the world faces. The rate of infection is quickly increasing and more people are getting infected, and dying from AIDS related illnesses. According to Global HIV & AIDS statistics in 2017, there were 36.9 million people living with HIV. 35.1 million are adults and 1.8 million are children under 15 years old.

Governments and organizations have founded various programs to fight the spread of AIDS and some college campuses decided as well to play a significant role in this issue. This is why the College Administration at Camden County College decided to join the group of colleges and universities that have installed condom dispensers in their restrooms. This decision has caused many heated debates and controversy throughout the campus between supporters and opposers. County college should support and complete the others institutions efforts in order to achieve their goals, which is prevent sexual diseases from spreading across the college community and population.

I support the party that agrees with the installation of the condom vending machines for different reasons. First, Students are going to have sex no matter what, and ignoring this fact only intensifies the problem; especially, in today’s society, where everything encourages sex, (music videos, Internet, television shows, etc.) It is highly expected that teenagers are sexually active because sex is no longer limited to spouses or just older people. The youth of today have sexual relations as early as the age of 14 and as they get older, the frequency by which they engage in sexual relationships with various partners increases. It is clear that sexual activity reaches its peak for some when they enter the college years because of the new lifestyle; they have more freedom and more chances to start new relationships. And since sexuality is an important aspect of development during youth and a sexual intercourse can have serious short and long-term consequences, these vending machines will ensure some protection against HPV transmission, as well as other sexually transmitted infections.

Second, the condom is now a part of the sexual lifestyle of most people. Condoms were created originally as a contraceptive tool that would help people avoid unwanted pregnancies. As time progressed, men and women became more sexually active and experimental. This leads to the rise in sexually transmitted diseases that seemed to be preventable with the use of a condom during sex.

Also, each year there are many unwanted pregnancies and a big percentage of young girls experience motherhood at an early age Nearly 210,000 babies were born to teen girls aged 15–19 years in 2016 (national vital statistics report) and become forced to stop their education at a time when they should be concentrating only in enhancing their future. In addition, early childbearing may be life threatening to both the mother and the child. Mothers younger than 17 face a serious risk of maternal mortality because their bodies are not yet mature enough to bear children. Also, the new babies born to teenage mothers are more likely to suffer health risks, social, and emotional problems such as preterm birth, low birth weight and even autism disorder. Than children born to older mothers. Another important point is these unwanted pregnancies can sometimes lead to abortion which can have serious consequences in the young girls health.

In reality, College condoms dispensers can have a significant role in decreasing the rate of abortion, prevent from sexual diseases, and help prevent pregnancies, which could cause some students to drop out of school and this would not be beneficial to the college. Opponents of the debate, state that Condom Dispensers do not belong in college, but belong in drug stores and Planned Parenthood. They consider College a place where people complete higher education, get degrees, and start their professional lives. Moreover, installing condom dispensers in college will encourage sexual activity, which may not be virtually as fruitful as imagined. Because an increase in the sexual activity; automatically, will increase the chances to be infected with various diseases. This might promote exactly what society is trying to avoid. In one hand, this idea can be true, but we cannot ignore the fact that whether the college provide condoms or not, students are having sex, and it is the college responsibility to provide not just education, but also protective materials to encourage safer and healthier sex.

The college cannot force their students to limit their sexual activities, but at least the college can create awareness and educate its students on the dangers of having unprotected sex and its consequences by encouraging the use of condoms during sexual intercourse. In addition, college responsibilities are not limited to education. College is a community college, which care about the well-being of its students. The college website vision’s states that “Everyone in this academic community shares the goal of creating and sustaining an environment that supports individual student success” (Camden County College). The college believes that young people can plan their futures and attain their goals more effectively if they are healthy, both emotionally and physically. That is why the college provides appropriate information and guidance in decision-making, skills building and good educations, which are all necessary to help young people reach their potential. The availability of condom dispensers can be part of the college plan to meet these needs and prepare young people for a healthy, and productive future. Simply, a healthy student is mode productive and creative.

One reason that many students are infected, is because of the lack of protection or the embarrassment of buying protection at a local drug store. And this would mean sex without protection to many young adults. By putting a condom dispenser in college bathrooms, this gives sexually active students nice, easy, and anonymous access to condoms this convenience saves people from embarrassment and breaks down the “huge barrier” of approaching a cashier at a drug or grocery store. Furthermore, the desire for confidentiality often over shadows their concerns for health and inhibit them from purchasing condoms, so being available in high school bathrooms is the first step in minimizing both of these issues. Programs must help sexually active tens reduce the potential for negative consequences associated with unprotected intercourse.

Next to making condoms available to students who chose to engage in sexual activity, schools let students know the community cares about their health and well-being. The machines offer privacy in purchasing condoms and therefore may promote condom use among sexually active students "I think students would rather buy them from the machines because they're embarrassed to go to a store and buy a box," said Kurt Dantzler, 20, an Occidental junior.

The availability of condoms needs to be paired with thorough sexual education courses so teenagers have all of the tools necessary to tackle life. With the rapid spreading of STI's and HIV, it is becoming increasingly dangerous to not wear condoms. It is very apparent that as teen pregnancy rates go up, so does the occurrence of young girls dropping out of high school. This is doing nothing but preparing our society for a grim future.

Finally, teen pregnancy rates and the spreading of STI's and HIV are getting out of control, and condoms being available in high school bathrooms is the first step in minimizing both of these issues.