Publish : 28 Nov 2021, 12:26 AMUpdate : 28 Nov 2021, 12:27 AM
Concerned feminist groups, activists, and social scientists have come up with the idea of educating our young generation on sex. Some opine that it is time to start with sex education at schools to make children aware of essential aspects of puberty and sex as they grow up. It has been rightly pointed out that with sex being a taboo, there is hardly any talk on this -- neither at the parental level, nor at school. This keeps our children in the dark and gives rise to a lot of apprehension as they grow up and come across manifestations of sex in their own lives.
An informed decision-making on this sensitive issue will entail much deliberation to find out its social implications, the actual pedagogical contents, and modality of imparting lessons among other pertinent issues. Before imparting lessons on such subjects, the teachers themselves need to be adequately trained. Gaining knowledge on anything related to life and living is good, provided we do sufficient spade work to impart such lessons effectively.
Proponents of the idea of early sex education for school children in developed countries lay emphasis on the aspects of “consent and contraceptive.” If we agree to go to that extent, this has to be done with a lot of caution. We have to be sure about what we really want to teach, and how that would actually help them, for such a crucial decision will have long term ramifications for society.
Have we talked to sex offenders, and is there reason to conclude that their overture was just because of not having education on the subject? That they were ignorant of the aspect of consent as an important issue? Can we expect that, with sufficient education, they will exercise restraint on their urges and not force their victims to succumb to their desires?
It is human considerations such as dignity of fellow human beings, fear of punishment, fear of society or shame, or even religious or moral bindings that may prompt in exercising restraint. This definitely will vary according to the mental makeup of the individual and, of course, the circumstances.
There is a school of thought that girls in our society end up getting married without any education on sex, which causes them endless misery in their conjugal life. This may not always be the case. In spite of not having formal education on the subject, traditionally, there are some informal avenues through which people get the required education, though it may not be perfect.
Mothers in our society these days definitely make it a point to teach their adolescent daughters on menstrual hygiene, for instance. We may find if not mothers, even grandmothers in a rural setting perform this important job of imparting some basics of sex, getting married, child bearing, and so on.
If we talk about a liberal society, where sex education for school children has been part of their curriculum, we may take France as a good example. Students in a French classroom are imparted lessons on body organs with the help of 3D print-outs. They learn a lot about the mystery of the human body. But ultimately, merely imparting such knowledge does not really help in eradicating the menace of sex related violence in any society.
Introduction of sex education in France has been a long, drawn out process. There were oppositions from the dominant Catholic Church and parents’ groups. Changes in their values and customs were questioned. In 1967, the statute was passed which authorized contraception, with sex education becoming an important issue.
In 1973, the recommendation for sex information and education in schools was made. Finally, in 1985, life education was entered into the primary syllabus. Initially they suffered due to not having trained teachers; hence their skills, commitments, and attitudes varied a lot.
But even in France, they have not been able to keep the occurrences of rape in check. Surprisingly, a lot of such cases are being committed by teenagers educated on the subject. It has also been revealed that a large percentage of the offenders do not even have any remorse for what they had done.
According to data from National Sexual Violence Resource Centre, US, one in every five women are reported to have been sexually assaulted, 81% of women and 43% of men are reported to have experienced sexual assault in their life.
One in three rape victims in the US belong to the seven to 11 years’ age group. Only in April 2021, a total of 1,854 sexual assaults have been reported in France. The number of minors subjected to rape in France in 2021 is 1,405, aged seven to nine years.
So where is the dividend of sex education?
Education highlighting relevant aspects may help in awareness generation for parents as to how they can safeguard their children from being maltreated. This is also likely to help children in making them conscious, identifying likely threats in their living environment, and taking precautions.
For best results, this may be combined with moral and ethical aspects, which will give them an idea of social norms and decency, as long as it relates to responsible behaviour. Before we take further steps on it, we need to undertake an elaborate study involving stakeholders, like informed parents, child psychologists, social scientists, legal experts, law makers, law enforcers, and religious leaders.
Brig Gen Abid (Retd) is a freelance contributor. He can be reached via email [email protected]
Is sex-ed the solution to sexual violence?
Concerned feminist groups, activists, and social scientists have come up with the idea of educating our young generation on sex. Some opine that it is time to start with sex education at schools to make children aware of essential aspects of puberty and sex as they grow up. It has been rightly pointed out that with sex being a taboo, there is hardly any talk on this -- neither at the parental level, nor at school. This keeps our children in the dark and gives rise to a lot of apprehension as they grow up and come across manifestations of sex in their own lives.
An informed decision-making on this sensitive issue will entail much deliberation to find out its social implications, the actual pedagogical contents, and modality of imparting lessons among other pertinent issues. Before imparting lessons on such subjects, the teachers themselves need to be adequately trained. Gaining knowledge on anything related to life and living is good, provided we do sufficient spade work to impart such lessons effectively.
Proponents of the idea of early sex education for school children in developed countries lay emphasis on the aspects of “consent and contraceptive.” If we agree to go to that extent, this has to be done with a lot of caution. We have to be sure about what we really want to teach, and how that would actually help them, for such a crucial decision will have long term ramifications for society.
Have we talked to sex offenders, and is there reason to conclude that their overture was just because of not having education on the subject? That they were ignorant of the aspect of consent as an important issue? Can we expect that, with sufficient education, they will exercise restraint on their urges and not force their victims to succumb to their desires?
It is human considerations such as dignity of fellow human beings, fear of punishment, fear of society or shame, or even religious or moral bindings that may prompt in exercising restraint. This definitely will vary according to the mental makeup of the individual and, of course, the circumstances.
There is a school of thought that girls in our society end up getting married without any education on sex, which causes them endless misery in their conjugal life. This may not always be the case. In spite of not having formal education on the subject, traditionally, there are some informal avenues through which people get the required education, though it may not be perfect.
Mothers in our society these days definitely make it a point to teach their adolescent daughters on menstrual hygiene, for instance. We may find if not mothers, even grandmothers in a rural setting perform this important job of imparting some basics of sex, getting married, child bearing, and so on.
If we talk about a liberal society, where sex education for school children has been part of their curriculum, we may take France as a good example. Students in a French classroom are imparted lessons on body organs with the help of 3D print-outs. They learn a lot about the mystery of the human body. But ultimately, merely imparting such knowledge does not really help in eradicating the menace of sex related violence in any society.
Introduction of sex education in France has been a long, drawn out process. There were oppositions from the dominant Catholic Church and parents’ groups. Changes in their values and customs were questioned. In 1967, the statute was passed which authorized contraception, with sex education becoming an important issue.
In 1973, the recommendation for sex information and education in schools was made. Finally, in 1985, life education was entered into the primary syllabus. Initially they suffered due to not having trained teachers; hence their skills, commitments, and attitudes varied a lot.
But even in France, they have not been able to keep the occurrences of rape in check. Surprisingly, a lot of such cases are being committed by teenagers educated on the subject. It has also been revealed that a large percentage of the offenders do not even have any remorse for what they had done.
According to data from National Sexual Violence Resource Centre, US, one in every five women are reported to have been sexually assaulted, 81% of women and 43% of men are reported to have experienced sexual assault in their life.
One in three rape victims in the US belong to the seven to 11 years’ age group. Only in April 2021, a total of 1,854 sexual assaults have been reported in France. The number of minors subjected to rape in France in 2021 is 1,405, aged seven to nine years.
So where is the dividend of sex education?
Education highlighting relevant aspects may help in awareness generation for parents as to how they can safeguard their children from being maltreated. This is also likely to help children in making them conscious, identifying likely threats in their living environment, and taking precautions.
For best results, this may be combined with moral and ethical aspects, which will give them an idea of social norms and decency, as long as it relates to responsible behaviour. Before we take further steps on it, we need to undertake an elaborate study involving stakeholders, like informed parents, child psychologists, social scientists, legal experts, law makers, law enforcers, and religious leaders.
Brig Gen Abid (Retd) is a freelance contributor. He can be reached via email [email protected]
Topics: