Media

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2002

Contact: Adrienne Verrilli or Nicole Cordier
at: 212-819-9770

SIECUS Launches Ad-Campaign to Encourage Parents to Talk with Their Kids about Sex

New York, NY - The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) is proud to announce the launch of a new print advertisement campaign as part of its ongoing effort to provide parents and guardians with resources to talk with their kids about sexuality. Just last month, SIECUS launched its parent-child communication initiative, Families Are Talking, to help parents and guardians address these tough issues.

"Open, honest communication about sexuality between parents and their children is critical throughout childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood to help young people protect their health and well-being and become sexually healthy adults," said Tamara Kreinin, the president and CEO of SIECUS. "We hope that the ads will raise awareness of the importance of parents and guardians talking with their kids about sex, and let parents and guardians know that SIECUS can be a valuable resource for them to tackle this issue," Kreinin continued.

Two separate advertisements are currently running in the November 2002 issues of parenting magazines in Brooklyn, NY; Queens, NY; Hartford, CT; Baltimore, MD; and Tucson, AZ, with a follow-up run in January 2003. In three of the five markets - Baltimore, Hartford, and Tucson - the ads will complement SIECUS' radio series, "Take a Minute to Talk to Your Kids about Sexuality," which aired for eight weeks beginning in mid-September, and will re-air in January 2003.

For years, SIECUS has advocated for open communication between parents and caregivers and their children to prevent unintended pregnancy and the spread of STDs, including HIV/AIDS. The ads are just one component of SIECUS' Families Are Talking initiative aimed at increasing parent-child communication about sexual health. SIECUS has numerous resources available in both Spanish and English for parents and guardians and has also launched a groundbreaking website, http://www.familiesaretalking.org.

"Virtually everyone agrees that parents and guardians should be the ones to talk with their kids about sexual issues, and SIECUS knows that this can be an intimidating task," said Kreinin. "We are here to provide parents with the tools they need to talk regularly, openly, and honestly with their children," Kreinin continued.

To view the ads, click here.

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Note: The ad campaign comes on the heels of the release of SIECUS' latest poll which showed that by a five to one margin, lower-income parents and guardians want their children to learn about all aspects of sex and sexuality, including birth control to protect against unintended pregnancy, HIV and STDs, and how to delay sexual activity.

To view the poll results, click here.