April 30, 2019
According to the WHO, the more quality information young people have on the subject, the later they start their sexual life.
Addressing sex education in schools is a controversial topic. Although a survey conducted by the Ministry of Education (February 2019) shows that most Brazilians support sex education as part of the school curriculum, a large portion of society argues that this topic should only be addressed in the home environment. This is because there are those who believe that sex education in schools means teaching and encouraging children to have sex.
However, when we compare this belief with data, we can see that exactly the opposite occurs. After analyzing more than a thousand reports on the effects of sex education, when compared to adolescents who do not receive this type of education, the WHO states that the more quality information young people have on this topic, the later they start their sexual life. This is because they begin to understand what is really at stake when starting their sexual life.
The importance of sex education in schools
In an interview with the online newspaper Nexo , pedagogue and sex educator Carolina Arcari addresses the need to discuss sexuality in educational institutions, clarifying that sex education is one of the most effective tools to combat sexual violence against children and adolescents .
Although many people argue that sex education is the responsibility of parents and guardians, this often ends up not happening, since adults do not feel comfortable talking to children about the subject. Arcari also points out the fact that 75% of cases of sexual violence involve the family environment . If this education is restricted to families, how can children be informed so that they are able to protect themselves?
It is important to understand that if families do not talk to their children, they will learn in other ways, such as through the media or from friends. The big problem is that this can contribute to children and young people developing a false view of sexual life.
But then, what is sex education?
Sex education means talking about the body, helping children build their body image and develop self-esteem. It means teaching them to differentiate between affectionate and abusive touches, warning them that no one is allowed to touch their private parts, and guiding them on how to ask for help in case of danger. All of these are factors in preventing sexual violence.
With young children, we can take advantage of moments like bathing and changing diapers to talk to them about their bodies, naming all their parts, always talking about who are the trustworthy people who can help them with hygiene and care, and making it clear that affection and touching can never be kept secret.
As they develop, children and young people present different and new demands on how to deal with the changes that occur in their bodies and care in relation to sexual activity, for example. And it is essential that schools and families continue to respond to these questions honestly and with quality information, according to each age group, also discussing how they can protect themselves, avoiding risky social situations.
Considering that dialogue can be an important tool in solving problems, it is essential that parents and professional educators are always available to listen to children and also to answer their questions, so that they feel comfortable expressing their doubts and tell them about any situation that seems strange to them.
Carolina Arcari also reminds us that sexual education is not based solely on knowing the genitals, but involves concepts of self-protection, bodily integrity, feelings, emotions, consent, dreams, identity, choices, hygiene, health and relationships.
We need to overcome the distorted view of sexual education, understanding it based on theoretical foundations and data rather than through false information disseminated on social media. Making this well-founded information accessible to all audiences will enable us to understand the importance of talking about this topic as a way to combat sexual violence against children and adolescents.
Educator Arcari has published several materials on the subject. On her website, we can find online courses and free publications for download.