A Coventry University project aimed at reducing the number of young adults with STIs has been criticised after offering students £400 to have sex on camera.

Project leader Dr Katie Newby explained that the films and other accompanying elements of Chance2Change – financially supported by the government funded Medical Research Council – hoped to encourage young people to be safer in sex by “increasing their use of condoms” and thus “reduce the incidence of sexually-transmitted infections”.

With the intention of promoting the message that the use of condoms doesn’t kill the mood, the Chance2Change project looked to feature “real couples in loving consensual relationships”. The “tastefully shot” films would utilise “natural settings”, such as student accommodation and a car.

Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, noted the responsibility of educational institutions to “look after the sexual welfare of their students”, but told The Daily Mail he “struggle[d] to understand why Coventry University feels the need to delve into territory like this.” Chairman of Parents Outloud, Margaret Morrissey, warned that students involved could “jeopardise future employment prospects” and said that the project offended the intelligence of students.

Elise Middleton 

(Image: The Telegraph)