My boyfriend does not like to use the condom

Dear Pastor,

I am 17 years old and I am from the country. I left home and came to Kingston seeking a better life. My parents have six of us; three girls and three boys. My two sisters got pregnant and I decided that I will not get pregnant. I had sex for the first time when I was 16 and after that, the guy wanted me to come and live with him. I went to live with him and everything was nice.

He is much older than me. I had food and everything, but I had to wash all his dirty clothes with my bare hands, and do everything in the house. I told him I couldn’t manage. He said if I couldn’t manage I should go back to country because

he could not pay someone to wash for him and I was there living with him.

One day when he left for work, I packed my bag and went to stay with another man. This man is 23 years old and he works in a supermarket. He lives in a one-bedroom, but I am comfortable with him. He says he will send me back to school. I love him and don’t want to leave him. But he does not like to use the condom when we are having sex and I don’t want to get pregnant. Please for your fatherly advice.

C.L.

Dear C.L.,

It is regrettable that you are living with a man. At 17, you are not really ready to be on your own with a man. I understand how difficult it is for you, and you are glad for the help from men. The first man you were with used you as his helper, but you were not willing to allow him to do so.

This 23-year-old guy is having sex with you, but he is not using the condom. And if you allow him to do so, he will get you pregnant, the very thing you don’t want to happen.

You know that you do not want to go back to your parents’ home. What you probably should do is to decide what you want to do and try to get into the HEART Trust / NTA. They would give you the necessary training and you would get qualified for whatever you would like to do, and you would not have to be relying on a man.

Pastor