Nadine Dorries Has Sex Education Bill Seeking Abstinence Lessons Withdrawn

Nadine Dorries

Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 20/01/12 14:25 GMT Updated: 20/01/12 14:31 GMT

Nadine Dorries' controversial bill which sought to give abstinence lessons to girls only has been withdrawn for debate in the Commons following protests outside Westminster, leaving the future of the proposals unclear.

The Tory MP's Private Members' Bill (PMBs) proposed providing education which "must include information and advice on the benefits of abstinence from sexual activity" to females aged 13 to 16 years old.

The bill, which was due to be heard in the House of Commons on Friday, attracted protesters outside Westminster who criticised the proposal. Parents and Carers for Sex Relationships Education (P4SRE), Slut Means Speak Up, Feminist Fightback and Queers Against the Cuts were just a few of the groups making their stand on Friday.

A spokesperson for the British Humanist Association, who also protested against the bill, said there was no good evidence to support the proposed legislation.

"Abstinence education does not work. Not only is this bill misguided, it focuses only on girls and negates and overlooks the important role of boys and young men in forming safe, fulfilling and consensual sexual relationships."

"Hey! Dorries! Leave our daughters alone!" one banner read, while a placard carried the slogan "sex please, we're British."

The bill was dropped from the order of business list for parliament on Friday, but Dorries' office insisted the bill had not been withdrawn permanently.

"As the bill was so low down on the order paper, Nadine decided not to have hundreds of copies of the bill printed to save costs."

Dorries herself refused to comment, hanging up the phone when Huffington Post UK attempted to contact her.

A spokesperson for the Commons' information office confirmed the bill had been withdrawn from the list.

"Whether she chooses to re-list it is up to her."

Either way, the bill is not likely to be debated in the near future as the HoC office added there may not be any more opportunities for PMBs this session.

Charlotte Vere, founder of think tank Women On told HuffPost: "Whatever the reason for the bill being taken off the order paper, it is fantastic that it's not getting a chance to be debated.

It is fundamentally wrong. It is vital to point out that this is a worrying trend of putting too much of the responsibility on women and girls to abstain from sex."

In May 2011, the bill was voted through its first stage but only scrapped a majority of 67 to 61 votes.

"I believe that the answer to ending our constant struggle with the incredibly high rate of teenage sexual activity and underage pregnancies lies in teaching our girls and boys about the option of abstinence—the ability to just say no as part of their compulsory sex education at school," the bill reads.

The MP for Mid Bedfordshire's abstinence ideas have continued to provoke huge outrage among various groups and MPs.

Labour MP for Rhondda Chris Bryant branded her bill "the daftest piece of legislation I have seen brought forward".

But it is not the only belief the MP holds which has sparked controversy; in May last year, Dorries also announced teaching girls to say no to sex would stop abuse.

"If a stronger 'just say no' message was given to children, there might be an impact on sex abuse," she said. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood called her remarks "disturbing".

Dorries' insistence to put the responsibility of saying no to sex solely on girls is outdated and will not reduce the "high rates" of sexual activity and underage pregnancies she refers to.

A campaign by teenager Shereece Marcantonio shows sex education does not have to be stuck in the past and irrelevant to students. Marcantonio's "Let's Talk About Sex" aims to teach young people in through peer-on-peer education, rather than the "awkward" sessions with their usual teacher.

"If we can educate kids in a relaxed and engaging way, we can help avoid unwanted pregnancies and help teenagers cope with their first sexual experiences safely."

FOLLOW HUFFPOST UK UNIVERSITIES & EDUCATION

Nadine Dorries' controversial bill which sought to give abstinence lessons to girls only has been withdrawn for debate in the Commons following protests outside Westminster, leaving the future of the ...
Nadine Dorries' controversial bill which sought to give abstinence lessons to girls only has been withdrawn for debate in the Commons following protests outside Westminster, leaving the future of the ...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
The Mad Guesser
People are alike all over.
06:50 AM on 01/22/2012
Does this mean K-9 obedience schools can't teach indoor abstinence between dog-walks if there is no paper inside to go on?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
George McAulay
Delighted to meet you
03:56 AM on 01/22/2012
This is just too funny for words.
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
09:23 PM on 01/21/2012
Good.

Will the citizens of mid-bedfordshire not please take responsibility and make sure they do not re-elect this vile woman?
07:11 PM on 01/21/2012
im looking at her ,and i think she would make me abstain !
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
George McAulay
Delighted to meet you
03:57 AM on 01/22/2012
Hey girls, do you wanna see what you'll look like if you abstain- look at me. I turned out all right- not.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mashud
11:16 AM on 01/21/2012
put a picture of Nadine Dorries face up. that would put anyone off sex for life.
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
09:24 PM on 01/21/2012
Ill bet she's no more alluring face down.
10:40 AM on 01/21/2012
If they are going to teach the girls, they should teach the boys too

The thing is society has gone from one extreme to the other. Years ago if a girl got caught pregnant, you had 2 options, 1) they got forced to be married or 2) she was locked away, the kid taken away and put up for adoption (watch heartbeat if you may) The lad gets away with it.

Now they have gone completely the other way, the slappers be it boys and girls can do what they like with who they like and if the girl gets caught, the lad walks away and the girl gets cared for and made sure they get LOTS OF MONEY to carry on. A lot of girls are using this process as their job.

They need to start showing them the if, ands and butts of their choices and consequences. But it's also about time they started jumping on these that are playing bout underage. It's also about time that these kids and people that are sleeping about and have numerous kids WITHOUT paying their own way should be taken to the hospital and sterilized and then forced to work to pay for their kids.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Lord Justice Wolf
09:30 AM on 01/21/2012
Firstly the Law has set an age for consensual sex at 16. Some attempts have been made to have this reduced but thankfully it remains. Yet we constantly say to our children, we know your going to do it, so here is how you do it properly? Im all for educating children about sex, but eliminating the fact that they can say no? What message does that send out. A 14 year old girl has sex with her 15 year boyfriend. They no its wrong but are just growing up and experimenting. The boy has pleaded with the girl until she gives in fearing he will finish with her. Afterwards she is filled with remorse and confides in her mother. The Mother goes ballistic and reports the boy to police. In reporting the matter to police she has reported the girl also. As a CRIME HAS been committed. Both children can and could be placed on the sex offenders register. This is fact ladies and gentlemen. All aspects of having under age sex should be highlighted to children when teaching sex. If we don't need them taught that saying no is an option with great benefits i.e. not appearing on the sex offenders register then were mad. Lets be honest how many of you would condone your child of 13 asking was it ok to sleep with there partner? If you say you would, then your condoning child sex?
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AlanDente
Noses: made to hold glasses
12:21 AM on 01/21/2012
Generally speaking, SRE from the NHS/Local Authority and volunteer organisations is pretty good in most of the UK. Sexuality within loving relationships is ALREADY emphasised. Safer sex practices, already emphasised. The risks attached to risky behaviour, already emphasised to young people.

Those engaging in risky behaviours (risky sexual practices, drug taking, alcohol consumption) are identified and given professional help and advice. And aren't judged.

Dorries isn't really looking to make positive reforms to a broken system (as she would have you believe). She is looking to take control of these complex interventions from highly skilled, but largely secular, professionals, and put them in the hands of... well. I'm sure Focus on the Family would be more than happy to enter into our schools, given half the chance.

Religious lunacy, no more, no less.
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SecularAdvocate
Media Watcher
02:53 PM on 01/21/2012
And good evidence to suggest that the way we get our MP's is utterly dysfunctional. Dorries would never have got to be an MP based on her own worldview. Hitching up with the Tories was her only way to slime under the door and get to a place where she's capable of advancing her ghastly back to the middle ages agenda.
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Totto
"Not 'Noise' One Round: *Music*
10:16 PM on 01/20/2012
Nadine ought to be wearing a simple strand of pearls as do our asexual Republican women.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mashud
11:17 AM on 01/21/2012
in the US she would be lauded as a genius. in the UK shes known as 'Mad Nad' and all the papers have a good laugh at her.
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Valksy
civis mundi sum
12:36 PM on 01/21/2012
Remember when even Cameron had a jab at her, I don't like him but thought it was hilarious (accidental double entendre? I don't think so).
This comment has been removed.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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majesticjkr
Always look on the bright side of life
09:33 PM on 01/20/2012
All you need is love.
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vividrick
I came, I saw...I had a cup of tea!
07:57 PM on 01/20/2012
One word: Misgiuded!
10:19 AM on 01/21/2012
ONE WORD, Mis-spelled !!!!
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vividrick
I came, I saw...I had a cup of tea!
11:25 AM on 01/21/2012
One word: pedantic!

...(it's actually 'misspelled')
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
09:26 PM on 01/21/2012
Batsh1t misguided.
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vividrick
I came, I saw...I had a cup of tea!
12:58 AM on 01/22/2012
Batsh1t...is that your number-plate or something?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
polkarde
Let freedom ring!
07:46 PM on 01/20/2012
If poor Nadine had only practised what she preaches, then she would never have been caught with her knicks down for a married man....but i dare say, being an MP, it's one rule for you, and another for themselves.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Paul Wagland
Resistance is fertile
08:44 PM on 01/20/2012
If only her parents had practised what she preaches...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mashud
11:22 AM on 01/21/2012
shes such a hypocrite. typical of most people who wear their religion on their sleeves or their hemlines,
gibraltar
Put in D to go forward to go backwards put it in R
07:41 PM on 01/20/2012
Resist these loons at every opportunity. They are ruining America one community at a time!
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Totto
"Not 'Noise' One Round: *Music*
10:17 PM on 01/20/2012
But they're in Britain.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
11:10 PM on 01/20/2012
Instead of building another Royal yacht Britain should build another Mayflower and put all our most annoying Religious nuts on it and ship them over to America just like we did with the first one.
07:08 PM on 01/20/2012
Seems she's not getting any.