Red Wolf: December 2009 Archives

Australia: It seems an unofficial front for the Catholic Church's contraception disinformation campaign has been sleazing its way through regional New South Wales state school spreading its propaganda about condoms being ineffective in preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Real Choices Australia operates the program, Choices Decisions Outcomes, mainly in government schools across Australia. One of its directors and spokeswoman, Debbie Garratt, has links to the Catholic Church and has worked with anti-abortion groups.

The program is used at Ulladulla High School. Teams are trying to promote it in the Newcastle, Kempsey, Macksville, Port Macquarie and Taree regions. On the Choices Decisions Outcomes' website, students are warned that condoms are not 100 per cent effective in stopping sexually transmitted infections. It highlights that children who engage in sexual activity are flirting with danger.The website goes on to say there is no scientific evidence that condoms prevent the transmission of most sexually transmitted diseases.