Interview 16

Age at interview: 24

Brief Outline: She says that she has always insisted on condoms and that as far as she is concern, 'If no condoms, no nookie'. (Played by an actor)

Background: Black Caribbean young woman who works full time in the administrative sector. Since starting her sexual life she has used contraception. Her primary concern has always been to avoid unwanted pregnancy. (Played by an actor)

Thinks her mum would be too embarrassed to talk about sex with her. (Actor)

(The accompanying video and audio clips are played by an actor)

No, I don't think so. I mean I'm not really a shy person, so if I want to know something I'll ask, so no. If I'm worried about something or needed something, I've always come here or gone to my GP. I don't think I'd go to my Mum, because I think she'd start squirming. So I've always come to the doctor or come here.

No, I mean my mum's a squirt, unbelievably. I was teasing to her before, and I was saying, 'Mum why have you never told us about the birds and bees?', and she said, 'Well you learnt it at school'.   And I said, 'Well that's not the point. Maybe I wanted to hear it from you'. And she was just squirming. And I was like, 'It's alright Mum. If you need to know anything, I'm here'.

She's embarrassed to talk about sex?

I think so, I don't know why. 

Well, some parents are. 

I don't know why she is. She's really' what's the word'. very outgoing, so it does surprise me that she's a bit embarrassed to talk about stuff like that, because she is so loud and crazy and outgoing. 

Explains why she has always practiced safe sex. (Actor)

(The accompanying video and audio clips are played by an actor)

As far as I'm concerned if there's no condoms, there's no nookie. 

Well you see, when I'm not with them, I don't know what they're up to, so they could be out there mucking about for all I know. And I don't wanna catch anything, I don't wanna get pregnant, so I gotta be safe.

I think, in my personal experience, fellas' well a couple' they're just childish, they just want to have a good time, they don't want a proper relationship. They wanna have fun, and then see you later, going to see the boys and hanging out with the boys. So I think girls tend to be a bit more serious when it comes to things like that.

Where does your attitude for safe sex come from, did you discuss it with friends or with your mother or somebody?

No, I don't know where it comes from to be honest. It's just, I don't know. It may really stem from the fact that I didn't want a baby. When I first became sexually active it was mainly the fact that I didn't want a baby, that's where it first started from, and then the more I learned about STIs and AIDS and HIV, it just got stronger. I was like, no condom, no nookie. I'm happy to have none. But no, I think it all just started from the fact that I didn't want children. 

Thinks that the family planning service could be improved if an appointment system is implemented...

(The accompanying video and audio clips are played by an actor)

I think if I had any worries I'd probably go to my GP. For the simple fact that when you come here, there's a ridiculous wait to see the doctor. So, there's like a two-hour wait to see the doctor, so I think if I had concerns then I would rather go and see my GP, because then I know I've got an appointment, I won't wait that long. In and out in maybe twenty minutes.

Okay, when you came here you said the waiting time is ridiculous. How do you think they could improve it?

I think they should run an appointment system to be honest. If you miss your appointment you just have to rebook, I think.

But in some cases may stop people that just walk in.

Fair enough if it's an emergency, if you need emergency contraception, fair enough, that should be a walk-in one. But I think if you need to get more pills or condoms or you've got to have a smear or something, I think those should be appointments.

Says she is quite happy on the pill and has no plans to change to another method of contraception...

(The accompanying video and audio clips are played by an actor)

Well no, I'm quite happy with the pill, so I don't think I'd try any others.

Okay.

Well I can't say never, I don't know how I'll feel in the future, but for the time being I'm quite happy with the pill.

Oh, when I first came here, the nurse I saw, she recommended it. She was telling me about different kinds of contraception and she recommended the pill, told me about the different types of pill. She recommended the combined one which is what I've always taken. 

And are you quite systematic at taking the pill? You've never missed pills or'.?

Oh yeah sometimes I miss, yeah. But on the whole, quite good.

Explains how clueless she was about periods. (Actor)

(The accompanying video and audio clips are played by an actor)

Nothing whatsoever, nothing at all. I just got a shock one day.

Okay, tell me about it.

Well, I was just, went to the toilet and saw blood in my urine and thought 'oh my god, what is that?' So I ran and I told my mum, and she was like, 'oh my god, I can't believe you've started so early'. So I was like, 'what are you talking about, what's going on?' And then she explained it all in about fifty seconds flat. She bought me some towels and stuff, and said that every month' don't worry' you're growing up'. But I think because my mum was late, well not late, she started when she was fourteen or fifteen, so she didn't think I would start so young, so she obviously didn't give me you know 'the talk'. 

She recalls how unprepared she was for a broken condom and how worried she felt about the thought...

I was a bit pissed off to be honest.                            

Why?

'Cause the condom broke, I wasn't prepared for something like that to happen. And the fact that I had to run around looking for it on a Saturday, and it was a nice day as well.  I should have been in the park or something. It was a lovely Saturday, and I was running around looking for this pill, thinking the worst, thinking, 'Oh my God I could get pregnant' and stuff like that.