After the recent incidents of sexual assaults on minor students in schools at Marcaim and Fatorpa, besides few in other areas in the last few weeks of time period, there is a growing concern about the safety of children.
In this context, it is important to highlight the need for sexual orientation of our children through sex education. But sex word is a huge taboo in our country, although we are the most populated country in the world. We have narrowed down the concept of sex in a way that all a person thinks after hearing about it is nothing but engaging in physical sexual activities.
But it is not always about getting physical. What’s necessary is educating people about it. Sex Education or sexual education is all about educating people about sex, its related problems, and how to get over them.
The goal should be to promote safe and hygienic sex and also help prevent problems including unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) ie. HIV, HPV, etc. The topic was and is widely supported in western countries that resulted in a lot of good things.
Studies found out the major reason for controlling teenage pregnancies and the outbreak of STDs was the right usage of contraceptives. This was the onset of sexual education with the goal of achieving a healthy and safe sexual life without any STDs and unwanted births.
But in India, proper sex education has always been lacking. Sexual education was banned in several states as the government and their ministers regarded it as an inappropriate practice that will pollute the culture of the young minds.
Also, child sex abuse prevention in elementary schools can be effectively ensured through sex education, wherein, the children in pre-adolescent stage can be taught about children's right to control their bodies and about communication and self-protection.
A typical sex education capsule should have the study of sexual, behavioural, and hormonal changes that happen in adolescents (13-19), where youth is surrounded by topics and conversations of sexual nature. The key aim of this curriculum should be to teach the students about the negative impacts of carelessness towards their sexual activities.
There should be sessions on preventive measures for unwanted pregnancy and STDs.
It is not just the responsibility of schools to impart sex education. In fact, sexual orientation should start at home. Parents should subtly teach about good touch and bad touch. Teach children the correct names of all their different body parts, including their private body parts. Children often find it hard to tell about sexual abuse because they don't know the words to use. Learning correct (anatomical) words for private body parts gives children the words to use and helps them know that it is okay to talk about those body parts.
Teach children that they are in control of who touches their bodies and how. Parents must insist their children not to give or receive hugs or kisses from relatives and friends if they do not wish to. This teaches children that it’s okay to say no to touches from people in their family and others they know. Teach your child to say no, whenever he or she is feeling uncomfortable with a certain touch.
There are consequences associated with not educating our youth about sexual health issues, including sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and sexual violence.
The NFHS-5 survey was conducted in around 6.37 lakh sample households having 27.86 lakh individuals. It shows that teenage pregnancy is relatively high in rural areas. Eight per cent of women in rural areas in the age group 15-19 have begun childbearing.
It also says that the level of teenage pregnancy decreases with an increasing level of schooling. Eighteen per cent of women aged 15-19 with no schooling have already begun childbearing, compared to only four per cent of women who had 12 or more years of schooling.
Hence, comprehensive teachers training programmes covering sex information, policies, and legal and emergency protocol standards should be conducted.
Also, it is very important to constantly speak to your wards and ask them what happened in the school, try figure out if there’s any changes in the child’s behavioural pattern. Children who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect will show mannerisms that can indicate trauma.
As parents, it is a must to read those mannerisms and try to get your child to speak up. Once sexual assault is confirmed, then immediately file a police complaint under the POCSO Act, even if the accused is a close relative. Remember, family honour is not important. Child’s safety and mental health is.