Girls as young as 13 are having "raw sex" on school premises, as well as with men as old as 34, Opposition MP Cole Simons told the House of Assembly last night.

The United Bermuda Party backbencher made the claims after revealing that he had surveyed about 30 teenagers from a range of schools around the Island to find out what problems and challenges they faced.

He said drugs was a major issue among young people at school, with the youngsters claiming they knew the street language, what was available and who to buy it from.

But he also said he had been shocked by stories which told of girls freely having sex and forming relationships with men much older than themselves as they searched for a loving male figure in their lives.

"A couple of people have said to me there is raw sex in the schools," said Mr. Simons.

"One young lady said she remembered a young girl was in the men's washroom and guys were lined up to join her. She had a book lined up and she asked them to sign the book when they were finished. They were 13."

Mr. Simons revealed the details of his conversations with students around Bermuda when he tabled a motion in the House that a joint select committee be set up to investigate the challenges and problems of the youth on the Island today.

But as he made the claims, he was heckled from the Government benches by PLP members who accused him of "scare-mongering" and being "ridiculous".

He added: "A number of adolescent girls between 13 and 14 have sex regularly with men between the ages of 16- and 34-years-old.

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