Over the past few months a focus within the press has highlighted social problems with teenage birth and also that of young girls abused by those who should be they’re to protect them.

We see the case of one nine year old who was abused by a relative who should have been protecting her, this meant that she was expecting twins at an age that carries a high risk to both mother and unborn child.

In England recently a young 14 year old girl was found with a substantial amount of money it turned out she was as they say turning tricks in the same week it is announced a fourteen-year-old became a farther the young girl herself being only 15 years old; this in the same week that the department of health announced an increase in teen pregnancy with the UK that remains the highest in any within the European Community.

In my final year at university I presented some work on teenage pregnancy and the risk to both unborn child and to the mother (the mother having both short term and long term risks associated with early child birth); although the statistical date itself can be somewhat misleading as it does not take into account those in their late teens who are no longer under children’s services as they are legally classed as adult. We also have to take into account those who are in stable long-term relationships or even in some cases planed pregnancy despite the young age. But as a group of health professionals their has been focus on reverse this trend, this has meant a concerted effort in sex education and an ongoing discussion on the best age with some looking at starting education from 5 years old onwards; this along with better access to contraception, the pill and an increased availability of abortions.

It is a subject that is difficult for one on a male body to totally grasp approach or appreciate as many social commentators and history shows men can enjoy sex life with little thought to consequences simply walking away in many cases leaving the women to cope and bring up the child on her own (or at best with support of close family and friends); it is as far as I can see true that a women’s life is rougher and tougher than that of a mans and also that most of the mans strength actually comes from a women as noted here:

As far as the women class are concerned, they are accepted as a power of inspiration for men. As such, women are more powerful than men. Mighty Julius Caesar was controlled by a Cleopatra. Such powerful women are controlled by shyness. Therefore, shyness is important for women. Once this control valve is loosened, women can create havoc in society by adultery. Adultery means production of unwanted children known as varna-sankara, who disturb the world.

SB 1.9.27

Again it is hard for me to appreciate the pressures that girls find themselves under
 I am reminded of a night shift many years ago when one of my colleges was being teased because she was not as they put it “put out” that somehow by her not being free with her body in sex life she was some how hindering any chance of having a relationship. Is this the reality?

This was not the only example from my days nursing on the wards the fact that it appeared a given that one should have an active sex life or exploring their sexuality if your not doing this somehow makes you a failure or inadequate.

A recent radio four program also highlighted how young girls are encouraged by media imagery and magazines that sex life is some how essential with what is now being seen as an over sexuelization of young girls; making them more vulnerable and increasing the chances of them entering sex life at a younger age. Not forgetting as the radio program highlighted the pressure put on our young girls by the boys eager to make conquests, “if you love me then” with a thought that the boys could do with being educated not to pressure the girls into actions they may not be ready or willing to take so is unprotected this is discussed as follows:

Canakya Pandita, the great politician and moral instructor, said, visvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca: “Never put your faith in a woman or a politician.” Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was pretending to be a woman, warned the demons against putting so much faith in Her, for She had appeared as an attractive woman ultimately to cheat them. Indirectly disclosing the purpose for which She had appeared before them, She said to the sons of Kasyapa, “How is this? You were all born of a great rsi, yet you are putting your faith in a woman who is loitering here and there like a prostitute, unprotected by father or husband. Women in general should not be trusted, and what to speak of a woman loitering like a prostitute?” The word kamini is significant in this connection. Women, especially beautiful young women, invoke the dormant lusty desires of a man. Therefore, according to Manu-samhita, every woman should be protected, either by her husband, by her father or by her grown sons. Without such protection, a woman will be exploited. Indeed, women like to be exploited by men. As soon as a woman is exploited by a man, she becomes a common prostitute. This is explained by Mohini-murti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 8.9.9

This should as Srila Prabhupada stated not be seen as a women being inferior or a slave to men but recognition of the special position women have in society and also of mans lack of self control in sex desire and life hindering spiritual progress as highlighted here:

Unrestricted sense enjoyment is the cause of material encagement, but one who follows the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures does not become entangled by the sense objects. For example, sex enjoyment is a necessity for the conditioned soul, and sex enjoyment is allowed under the license of marriage ties. According to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex relationships with any women other than one’s wife. All other women are to be considered as one’s mother. But in spite of such injunctions, a man is still inclined to have sex relationships with other women. These propensities are to be curbed; otherwise they will be stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization. As long as the material body is there, the necessities of the material body are allowed, but under rules and regulations. And yet, we should not rely upon the control of such allowances.

Bg 3.34

This is real education and would see a decrease in unwanted pregnancy in all ages with particularly the men becoming more respectful of women as a class and that simply we are focused on progressing spiritually; the final thought to ponder is this:

Woman is now depicted very well from the materialistic point of view by Kasyapa Muni. Women are generally known as the fair sex, and especially in youth, at the age of sixteen or seventeen, women are very attractive to men. Therefore a woman’s face is compared to a blooming lotus flower in autumn. Just as a lotus is extremely beautiful in autumn, a woman at the threshold of youthful beauty is extremely attractive. In Sanskrit a woman’s voice is called nari-svara because women generally sing and their singing is very attractive. At the present moment, cinema artists, especially female singers, are especially welcome. Some of them earn fabulous amounts of money simply by singing. Therefore, as taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a woman’s singing is dangerous because it can make a sannyasi fall a victim to the woman. Sannyasa means giving up the company of women, but if a sannyasi hears the voice of a woman and sees her beautiful face, he certainly becomes attracted and is sure to fall down. There have been many examples. Even the great sage Visvamitra fell a victim to Menaka. Therefore a person desiring to advance in spiritual consciousness must be especially careful not to see a woman’s face or hear a woman’s voice. To see a woman’s face and appreciate its beauty or to hear a woman’s voice and appreciate her singing as very nice is a subtle falldown for a brahmacari or sannyasi. Thus the description of a woman’s features by Kasyapa Muni is very instructive.
When a woman’s bodily features are attractive, when her face is beautiful and when her voice is sweet, she is naturally a trap for a man. The sastras advise that when such a woman comes to serve a man, she should be considered to be like a dark well covered by grass. In the fields there are many such wells, and a man who does not know about them drops through the grass and falls down. Thus there are many such instructions. Since the attraction of the material world is based on attraction for women, Kasyapa Muni thought, “Under the circumstances, who can understand the heart of a woman?” Canakya Pandita has also advised, visvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca: “There are two persons one should not trust — a politician and a woman.” These, of course, are authoritative sastric injunctions, and we should therefore be very careful in our dealings with women.

Sometimes our Krsna consciousness movement is criticized for mingling men and women, but Krsna consciousness is meant for anyone. Whether one is a man or woman does not matter. Lord Krsna personally says, striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te ‘pi yanti param gatim: whether one is a woman, sudra or vaisya, not to speak of being a brahmana or ksatriya, everyone is fit to return home, back to Godhead, if he strictly follows the instructions of the spiritual master and sastra. We therefore request all the members of the Krsna consciousness movement — both men and women — not to be attracted by bodily features but only to be attracted by Krsna. Then everything will be all right. Otherwise there will be danger.
 SB 6.18.41

To educate men of this fact would decrease so many teen pregnancy’s and make also for a better society