Experts are concerned that many Danish youngsters are having unprotected sex unaware of the risks.

At a time when the prevalence of sexually-transmitted diseases are on the up, young people’s understanding of them and how they spread is at a low, a new study reveals.

Sex og Samfund’s survey of 950 upper-secondary students (roughly ages 17-20) reveals that there exists a great deal of uncertainty surrounding common contraceptives and what they protect against.

Myths and monsters
Asked whether the pill protects against STDs, 24 percent answered ‘Yes’ and a further 6 percent answered ‘Don’t know’. These figures stood at 20 percent and 27 percent respectively when the same question was asked regarding the coil.

Lene Stavngaard, the national head of Sex og Samfund, has a theory as to why such misunderstandings abound in Denmark, with young people spreading myths (alongside other things) amongst themselves.

“When municipalities, schools and other entities do not take responsibility for young people’s sexual health and sex education, and many young people do not feel they can talk to their parents about such topics, then they go to their friends for advice,” she explained.