At the end of September, I started my ESC activity at the shelter for unaccompanied minors run by “Hope for Children” NGO in Nicosia.
Since the shelter is inhabited by male adolescents, we often encounter topics related to puberty (such acne, various physical changes, and sexual desires) which, as everyone knows, can create discomfort for teenagers as they see their bodies transforming and changing rapidly.
This is why I decided to write about Sexual Education and the importance of introducing this subject in schools or any environment where young people gather, in order to provide them with tools to understand and better cope with their physical and mental changes.
Sexuality should not be a source of embarrassment for adults and this embarrassment must not be passed on to younger generations.
A healthy development of the self, understood in its entirety, includes the growth of one’s sexuality.
This, among many other reasons, is why sexual education should be more thoroughly and consciously promoted in schools, rather than leaving this “hot potato” in the hands of families, where, unfortunately, there is not always the opportunity for discussion on such topics.
If there is a moral to be drawn, it is to confront even the most difficult conversations: communication builds relationships, which is why it is important to learn how to manage discussions clearly and transparently.
The Role of Sexual and Affective Education
The aims of sexual education in schools are to:
- Promote respect for one’s own body and that of others, both of which are in constant change and transformation, especially during puberty
- Encourage the reduction of unprotected sexual activities through knowledge and the use of precautions, aiming to decrease the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies
- Build relationships based on mutual respect, regardless of individual differences
- Avoid creating rigid and stereotyped relational models, in order to gain greater awareness of human rights and gender equality.
From this, it follows that sexual education cannot be seen as a simple and unproductive transmission of information but must be placed in a broader context that includes the communicative and relational skills of individuals.
Introducing the topic of sexual education into schools or any environment frequented by adolescents should be viewed as an investment —an educational project that enables them to understand not only the anatomy of sexual organs but also the relational and social functions associated with them. This facilitates young people in acquiring knowledge and awareness of their own emotions and those of others, leading them to prioritise choices that promote well-being and respect for themselves and others.
When did the discussion about sexual education begin?
The topic of sexual and affective education in schools has long been a subject of debate.
The first global proposal for legislation titled “Initiatives for Information on Sexuality Issues in State Schools” dates to 1975 presented by Giorgio Bini a member of the Italian Communist Party. Since then, there have been other attempts by parliamentarians from various political orientations, but no concrete results have been achieved.
To this day, Cyprus is the only European country, along with Italy, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania, that does not provide mandatory curricular programmes in the field of sexual and affective education. Despite the fact that the implementation of this subject is recommended by both the World Health Organisation’s guidelines and those of UNESCO, along with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3, which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including family planning. [ https://lampoonmagazine.com/article/2023/05/31/educazione-sessuale-eallaffettivita-scuole/ , read Niente educazione sessuo-affettiva obbligatoria nelle scuole].
The Role of Social Media and the Risks of Internet Sex
In a context where sexual education is absent, fragmented and inadequate, many adolescents are forced to seek information online, with only a few turning to friends and/or family for answers.
However, the family is often a context in which it is difficult to discuss topics such as sexuality, sexually transmitted infections or contraception; frequently because subjects like affection and sexuality trigger defensive emotional mechanisms in adults that create pressure on children, pushing them into silence. Today these silences can prove harmful, representing a real danger to the growth of minors who increasingly have easy access to virtual experiences and content. [ https://www.sispse.it/educazione-sessuale-a-scuolaperche/#:~:text=Figure%20professionali%2C%20formate%20adeguatamente%2C%20offrono,uno%20sviluppo%20individuale%20pi%C3%B9%20sereno ]
The generation that seems to be most affected by this change in sexual habits is the Millennials, who according to some research are the least sexually active generation when compared to the previous generation. [ https://lampoonmagazine.com/article/2023/05/31/educazione-sessuale-eallaffettivita-scuole/ , read Il sesso e la generazione dei Millennial: il ruolo dei social ]
Again, the use of the internet and social platforms tends to isolate adolescents, often leading them to prefer virtual relationships over real ones.
As a result, social media is flooded with explicit and erotic content, while young people are engaging in less sexual activity in real life.
Adolescent curiosity about sexuality is exploited in many popular media formats, such as reality shows on MTV (e.g., Jersey Shore, Geordie Shore, Ex on the Beach), where young protagonists are followed during their summer holidays, not to mention the easily accessible pornographic content online.
On these platforms, there is an internalisation of body ideals conveyed by the media, which represents the level at which social appearance standards are incorporated into one’s belief system. This process leads to changes in attitudes toward sexuality and sexual behaviours.
Regarding exposure to sexualised content, two distinct processes can be triggered in adolescents:
- Self-objectification: Seeing one’s body from an external observer’s perspective; a consequence where individuals perceive themselves as objects valued solely for their external appearance (e.g., weight, shape), leading to continuous monitoring of their bodies
- Sexual body awareness: Concerns about the appearance of one’s body during sexual relationships; an attitude provoked by comparing oneself to unrealistic or hard-to-reach body standards conveyed by the media, which encourages body monitoring, increases anxiety and concerns, and results in feeling inhibited in sexual intimacy due to the gap between reality and media standards.
Proposed Strategies
The media’s influence is just one of several factors that contribute to the development of sexuality in adolescents. Realistically, we cannot expect marketing strategies to be responsible for the content they post online; their aim is not the well-being of the population but to reach potential buyers/users by any legal means. For this reason, it is necessary to implement programmes within schools that help adolescents prevent the internalization of media ideals.
It’s evident that schools need support to carry out these programmes and they can collaborate with professionals in the field. These professionals should offer young people the opportunity to acquire accurate and non-misleading information about romantic relationships and intimacy.
Greater awareness of one’s own and others’ psycho-relational and sexual development can contribute to more balanced individual growth.
Sometimes, it is also important to create a network that involves local counselling services to collaborate on educational pathways, introducing young people to the functions, services offered, and ways to access them.
The overall goal is for adolescents and young people to enjoy better sexual and reproductive health and achieve overall better health outcomes.
With insufficient knowledge, we are unable to make healthy and safe decisions regarding our sexual health.