Madam, - I was shocked to read the statistics concerning sexual activity among young people published in your edition of September 19th. I am not a prude, but surely you were flirting with tabloid journalism to state in your headline that "one in four 15 to 17 year-olds have had sex". In my view it should have read: "One in four 15 to 17 year-olds say they have had sex" . This was a survey report, not a scientifically observed fact.
It may be wrong of me to question the veracity of 15- to 17-year-olds concerning sexual activity, but having been one only 20 years ago I think I have some basis for my scepticism. - Yours, etc.,
ROBERT COMYN, Brighton Gardens, Dublin 6.