Young mothers in Australia are continuing to report high rates of discrimination within their local communities. Experts say stigma can prevent people accessing basic needs like housing and it's time for a fresh perspective
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00:00Kiara was 14 when she found out she was pregnant.
00:03Determined to embrace her start to motherhood,
00:06she responded with positivity, but others brought her down.
00:11There was a lot of stigma around being a young mum
00:17that wasn't positive.
00:19That made it difficult.
00:23She says she faced discrimination wherever she went,
00:26or whether that be the housing worker that I tried to visit.
00:29The way that I was treated for simply being young and pregnant
00:33is not OK.
00:34She's not the only young mum who's dealt with stigma.
00:39I had my son.
00:40We were in the mall and I was giving him a bottle.
00:43He was in the mall.
00:45I was in the mall.
00:46I was in the mall.
00:47I was in the mall.
00:49I was in the mall.
00:50I was in the mall.
00:51I was in the mall.
00:52I was in the mall.
00:53I was in the mall.
00:54I was in the mall and I was giving him a bottle.
00:57And a lady came up and goes,
00:59oh, I hope that's your nephew and not your kid.
01:01I was catching buses at the time because I didn't have my licence
01:04and I found a lot of people would rather move for an older pregnant person
01:08than somebody my age that was pregnant.
01:10I was actually called into the principal's office
01:12and I was told that I was no longer able to attend the school
01:16because it was unsafe.
01:17They wouldn't let me have that first skin-to-skin bonding moment,
01:21even though there was no health complications.
01:23I then handed him straight to my mum.
01:26Researchers have found that stigma can prevent people
01:29from accessing basic needs like housing and health care.
01:32It also contributes to social isolation
01:35and can lead to a deterioration of mental health.
01:39There was a time when young mums were the norm.
01:42In the 60s, one in five first-time mothers were in their teens.
01:47The increased availability of the contraceptive pill
01:51saw things start to change in the 70s.
01:54In the mid-80s, teenage pregnancy had become a focus of concern
02:00and by the end of the 20th century,
02:02young motherhood had become highly stigmatised
02:05and associated with welfare dependence.
02:09Today, you could say that socially accepted motherhood
02:13is associated with delayed childbirth,
02:17emotional and physical maturity,
02:21planned pregnancy,
02:23education and financial security.
02:26Dr Wolfinger says the community can challenge stigma.
02:30You might be at a table having dinner with family or friends
02:34and somebody makes a comment.
02:36Counter it, challenge the idea.
02:39For young mums, the solution is simple, be kind.
02:43It goes back to, you know, treat people
02:45how you want to be treated yourself.
02:47If you've got a same-age kid, why not set up a play date
02:50and actually get to know the person before you judge them?
02:53It would have made all the difference to me
02:55to have somebody say,
02:56what a beautiful baby, or you're doing such a great job.
02:59They say smiling at somebody really makes their day
03:02and you don't know that it does.
03:03It does, kindness goes a long way.
03:06An age-old issue needing some new perspective.