Extra small condoms for 12 year-old boys go on sale in Switzerland

Gotholic

Well-Known Member
Extra small condoms for boys as young as 12 are going on sale in Switzerland.

Alexandra Williams in Geneva
Published: 8:13PM GMT 03 Mar 2010

Called the Hotshot, the condom has been produced after government research showed 12 to14-year-olds did not use sufficient protection when having sex.

The study, conducted on behalf of the Federal Commission for Children and Youth, interviewed 1,480 people aged 10 to 20.

t showed more 12 to 14-year-olds were having sex, in comparison with the 1990s.

The Hotshot condoms, which cost 7fr60 (£4.70) for a packet of six, have been created by Lamprecht AG, a leading condom manufacturer in Switzerland.

The company has said the UK would be "top priority" if they expanded abroad, considering that it has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.

Nysse Norballe, a spokesman for the company, said: "At the moment we are only producing the Hotshot in Switzerland. But the UK is certainly a very attractive market since there is a very high rate of underage conception. The UK would definitely be top priority if we marketed abroad."

A standard condom has a diameter of 2ins (5.2cm) in comparison with the Hotshot's diameter of 1.7ins (4.5cm). Both are the same length – 7.4ins (19cm).

According to a German study of 12,970 13 to 20-year-olds, a quarter said a standard condom was too large.

Family planning groups and the Swiss Aids Federation campaigned to have the Hotshot produced after a number of studies, including the government study researched at the Centre for Development and Personality Psychology at Basel University.

Nancy Bodmer, who headed the research, said: "The result that shocked us concerned young boys who display apparently risky behaviour. They have more of a tendency not to protect themselves. They do not have a very developed sexual knowledge. They do not understand the consequences of what they are doing and leave the young girls to take care of the consequences.

"The results of this study suggest that early prevention makes sense."

The age of consent in Switzerland is 16, although if the age difference is not more than three years there will be no punishment. Other concessions exist if the older person is not more than 20 or believed the younger person to be at least 16.

The Swiss initiative comes as the UK government announces an overhaul of its teenage pregnancy strategy after new figures showed conception rate among 18s were not falling fast enough.

The UK has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.

In 1999, the government pledged to halve the teenage conception rate within 10 years.

But data released last week from The Office for National Statistics shows it has clearly failed to make any significant impact.

Source

Well, is it not the cutest thing? :rolleyes: :disgust2:
 

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
Nancy Bodmer, who headed the research, said: "The result that shocked us concerned young boys who display apparently risky behaviour. They have more of a tendency not to protect themselves. They do not have a very developed sexual knowledge. They do not understand the consequences of what they are doing and leave the young girls to take care of the consequences.
I wonder if boys of that age will actually buy the condoms at all if their emotional development is so immature.

The UK has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.
:eek: I did not know this! :eek:
 

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
If it protects against STDs and pregnancy, then I don't see a problem with creating a product with a specific client-base which shows a need for such a product.
 

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
If it protects against STDs and pregnancy, then I don't see a problem with creating a product with a specific client-base which shows a need for such a product.
I have no problem with someone creating a product for this consumer group. However, it will only protect them if they use it. Given their maturity level I wonder what percentage of boys will use the condom at all. It was proven in the study that they regularly engage in risky behaviors. This is common with this age group and they may not see the value of buying a condom and using it.
 

ResearchMonkey

Well-Known Member
I'm thinking 12y/o boys would want normal sized condoms to protect themselves from STD's.


kjvaseline02.jpg
 

Gonz

molṑn labé
Staff member
I can't believe that we're discussing teh maturity level of 12 YEAR-OLDS.

12 year-olds

There are bigger issues here (I know of what I speak, I was not a 12 year old virgin)
 

ResearchMonkey

Well-Known Member
Obviously they weren't teaching the joys of exploring another person body when you were in school.

-- Thanks Kevin Jennings
 

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
I have no problem with someone creating a product for this consumer group. However, it will only protect them if they use it. Given their maturity level I wonder what percentage of boys will use the condom at all. It was proven in the study that they regularly engage in risky behaviors. This is common with this age group and they may not see the value of buying a condom and using it.

Better sex ed at an earlier age? Frankly, if they're mature enough to actually get into a sexual relationship, they should be mature enough to understand the consequences of said relationship.

With all that in mind, teens and tweens still suffer from the Superman mentality. Nothing bad will ever happen to them..which is why they don't wear helmets to skateboard, bike, ski, snowboard etc..why they're more likely to speed or dwi in a car, why they're more likely to get stitches for trying to reproduce stunts they saw online or on tv etc etc...

What you can do to make these kids buy the condoms (if not use'em), is bragging rights. ... or, they make handy water balloons.
 

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
Well, let's hope they use them. But I wouldn't leave this as the only method for for reducing/eliminating teen pregnancy (and STDs) in that age group. They need their parents to be honest with them and they need to hear it again in school (sex ed class). Knowledge is always the best weapon to combat such things.
 

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
Well, let's hope they use them. But I wouldn't leave this as the only method for for reducing/eliminating teen pregnancy (and STDs) in that age group. They need their parents to be honest with them and they need to hear it again in school (sex ed class). Knowledge is always the best weapon to combat such things.

Parents?? Most parents are hesitant in discussing sex with their kids, either out of embarrassment, a false-hope that if they don't talk about it that their kids won't do it, or some inane religious/cultural reason that forbids them from thinking about or even talking about sex and sexuality with anyone, much less their kids.

The other side of the coin is What teen (or tween) could want to be caught dead talking with their parents about sex? The mere thought of it makes them gag..much less, the thought of their parents actually *gasp* being sexually active.

You have to teach kids before they form those barriers, and before their peers beging filling their heads with BS. Keeping the kids at arm's length socially is a good idea as well..so that the relationship doesn't affect the message. A teacher is neither a peer nor a parent. Their job is to impart wisdom and knowledge...as such, they are the best source. For younger kids who ask such questions, the parents are the best source...but after age 11 or 12 :shrug: I think not.
 

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
Parents?? Most parents are hesitant in discussing sex with their kids, either out of embarrassment, a false-hope that if they don't talk about it that their kids won't do it, or some inane religious/cultural reason that forbids them from thinking about or even talking about sex and sexuality with anyone, much less their kids.

The other side of the coin is What teen (or tween) could want to be caught dead talking with their parents about sex? The mere thought of it makes them gag..much less, the thought of their parents actually *gasp* being sexually active.

You have to teach kids before they form those barriers, and before their peers beging filling their heads with BS. Keeping the kids at arm's length socially is a good idea as well..so that the relationship doesn't affect the message. A teacher is neither a peer nor a parent. Their job is to impart wisdom and knowledge...as such, they are the best source. For younger kids who ask such questions, the parents are the best source...but after age 11 or 12 :shrug: I think not.
I totally agree with this. The discussion should be started when the child is young enough to grasp the concept of "little brother/sister" and pregnancy. That's pretty young. Parents are the best teacher, but not all parents will bring up the subject young enough to make a difference (or, as you put it, at all). These kids will interact with YOUR kids. Best to reiterate this is a class setting in middle school.
 

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
I have a 4yr old and a nearly 8yr old. They both started asking questions by the time they reached age 3. We answer honestly though skip the more ...er..pornographic details. Pregnancy is discussed openly, body parts are named properly, fucntions etc... Eventually, they'll have more elaborate discussions, and it should be easier to talk about because of a building up of trust and knowledge. Far too many parents wait for too ling and then try and give the kids the 'talk'... often completely out of context. (ie. the neighbour's daughter is knocked up...time to finally talk with your 15yr old about condoms. )
 

ResearchMonkey

Well-Known Member
Our children understand the mechanics of sex as well as the basic of the emotional construct of personal relationships, it comes naturally by simply being fairly honest with them over time. They understand the differnce between the physical human body and the acts of pushing the limits of orifices for xxxxxx reasons. My daughters are not uncomfortable about seeing a vagina or penis in an appropriate context, nor will they flinch when discussing age appropriate related issues.

We encourage and participate in discussing any questions our children may have. Admittedly there are some issues I as a father are not privvy to but mother is. We feel our children have developed a healthy sense of self. While they know "fisting" might be all the rage, they also it's not really a place where people should be sticking their arm because it's full of poop. Just important for young girls they have knowledge of the psyche of sexual predators

People are shocked when they hear a 6-yo say the word "penis" in a proper context.

/bragging
 

BeardofPants

New Member
I have a 4yr old and a nearly 8yr old. They both started asking questions by the time they reached age 3. We answer honestly though skip the more ...er..pornographic details. Pregnancy is discussed openly, body parts are named properly, fucntions etc... Eventually, they'll have more elaborate discussions, and it should be easier to talk about because of a building up of trust and knowledge. Far too many parents wait for too ling and then try and give the kids the 'talk'... often completely out of context. (ie. the neighbour's daughter is knocked up...time to finally talk with your 15yr old about condoms. )

You can be honest & open 'til the cows come up. Probably won't help when they're teens (see your previous answer). My BF's 'rents were hippies who periodically had naked hippie drug parties. They were open about this shit too. Still didn't stop the BF & I from sneaking around & not telling them.
 
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