Press Release

Equip & Empower

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 29, 2017
Contact: NeShama Bonneau
Telephone: 07447 747 635
E-mail: equip-and-empower@gmail.com
Web site: equip-and-empower.weebly.com

Lets Talk About Sex in Lakenheath

Panel Discussions Among Parents and Teens
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level - 8.6

(Lakenheath, England) Equip & Empower is hosting a Sex Talk seminar on Saturday,
November 4, 2017. This online initiative creates an atmosphere for parents to find support in
raising tweens and teenagers. The seminar includes parents and adolescents taking part in a live
information session at the Lakenheath Pavilion in Lakenheath Village.
Equip & Empower provides virtual support to parents of sexually active teenagers. The Sex
Talk bridges the gap of communication among parents of adolescent aged children, tweens and
teenagers. In Suffolk County, sexual health has been branded as having low prevalence for STIs
and HIV. Also, lower teenage pregnancy rates in comparison to other parts of England. Suffolk
county has a significant need according to the presented statistics. Within Suffolk county, the
districts have different statistics that demonstrate the need for this intervention. St Edmundsbury,
where Lakenheath village is, has an occurrence of 425.8 new reported STI infections for every
100,000 residents. 46% of the population aged 15-24 reports a new STI every year. 1 Teenage
pregnancy in St. Edmundsbury rates 19.1 per 1,000 females. 1 50.5% of HIV infections in
Suffolk County have been recognized as late diagnosis. 1 With these alarming rates it is time for
action. The planners are paving the way for increased communication. Equip & Empower hopes
to reduce the prevalence of STIs, HIV, and teenage pregnancies.
Dr. Richard Kreipe is a professor of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Director at
the University of Rochester, NY. He works with a community public health initiative to promote
positive youth development. He states, I think there is much more resistance for adults to learn
about youth, than for youth to learn about adults... we need to realize that young people
communicate in different ways rather than saying, they have to learn our ways, we have to
say, we have to learn their ways. 2 Equip & Empower wants the seminar to express these exact
sentiments to the attendees.
The seminar will have two panels, one of parents, both mother and fathers, and one with
adolescents. The panel members are going to be asked a series of questions. Questions pertain to
their point of view of various communication and sex related topics. Both panels will have a Q &
A session where the audience will be able to ask questions from parents and teens. A goal is to
open the communication lines. We want to show that there is a benefit from initiating
conversations between parents and their teenagers.
For more information on how local residents can sign up for the Sex Talk seminar at the
Lakenheath Pavilion, phone NeShama Bonneau at 07447 747 635 or send an email to equip-and-
empower@gmail.com.
Equip & Empower is an online-based peer support group. They aim to spotlight family planning
disparities that exists due to the lack of effective communication between parents and
adolescents through forums and blog posts. For more information, please visit www.equip-and-
empower.weebly.com or call 07447 747 635.

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