In 1961, the 'Pill' went on sale in New Zealand and women's lives were changed forever. The first truly reliable contraceptive, the Pill meant being able to control your fertility was now a matter of choice. But not everyone here in Godzone was judged worthy of making that choice. In this episode of Eyewitness, in 1966, Carol, as she wants to be known, was young, single, sexually active and in a hurry to be an adult.

In 1961, the 'Pill' became available in New Zealand and women's lives were changed forever. Being able to control your fertility was now a matter of choice. But not everyone was judged worthy of making that choice.

"We had the right to take care of our bodies. It shouldn't have been a moral issue."

Carol's Story

In 1966 "Carol" was young, single, sexually active and in a hurry to be an adult. She decided to leave home, move cities and live with her boyfriend.

I thought '16, woo-hoo! I've left school, I've got a job I'll go and live in Wellington!' See ya later Mum and Dad, I'm gone! Maybe in hindsight, not such a clever idea.

By now, the Pill had been available for five years. But if you think the swinging sixties had fully arrived, you'd be wrong. Abortion was illegal, condoms and diaphragms weren't reliable and many couples took their chances with the withdrawal method. Two different doctors refused to give Carol a prescription for the Pill.

For a woman, there was no chance in the world that you were going to get the Pill if you were single.

"You would go the doctors and you were greeted with horror and disapproval."

Her doctor turned her down flat. Carol wanted independence, fun and love, but instead found herself being judged.

People looked down on you if you were sexually active. You were just, for want of a better word, a slut.They simply didn't see you as an adult. You were a single woman; you had no right to do that.

"You didn't have the right to take care of your own body."

Carol and her partner were let down by the contraceptive method they were using.

"I was 17. My fiancé bailed on me; he didn't want to be a parent."

I was feeling very much alone and scared. I was absolutely on my own. Abortions were not an option, unless there was a medical reason for it.

According to the State, it also wasn't an option for an unmarried teenager to raise her child…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details