A worrying amount of young Irish girls believe they can lose their virginity from a tampon

This recent survey has seriously concerned us.

While sex education isn't the best in this country, you get the know the basics of what happens to your body growing up. You come to realise how sex works and how it affects you between school talks, chats with friends and getting information from your parents. We understand that some parents don't talk to their children about this stuff and some schools have dire sex ed, but to think that such a high percentage of 12-19 year-olds believe that you can lose your virginity from a tampon is extremely worrying. The survey was carried out by Plan International Ireland, a children's charity, and asked 1100 Irish girls about period stigma and affordability. 110 of them said that they received no sex ed in school, while 59 percent said that their school talks were not helpful. I feel lucky that I had friends growing up that were very open to talking about periods and changes in the body - even now, we shout about about periods and pains in the office, so hearing that 61 percent of girls feel embarrassed about their monthly visitor is quite upsetting. It makes me wonder why? We all get them. There's nothing to be embarrassed or shy about. But the thing that really struck me is the fact that such a high numer believe you can lose your virginity with a tampon, and to further that 84 percent believe you cannot get pregnant while on your period. Real facts need to be taught in schools, books need to be read to inform our young women and talks need to be had between family members and friends. We can't have the next generation growing up believing this. We can't have them that mislead. And if this isn't a stark wake up call to inform the young girls around you, then we don't know what is.