Three Benefits of Sex Education in Indonesia

Three Benefits of Sex Education in Indonesia

Sex education is really important for children in all of the world. It looks like a big factor that might jeopardize their future. If they can’t control it, they might go to a bad promiscuity and it will destroy their future. As we know, some eastern countries don’t implement it, because they believe all of the things related to sex are bad and it seems taboo to be taught or discussed to young people which is their children. In Indonesia, mostly parents will say the same thing. Even if, some of them have already aware with sex education, but they are still confused about how to teach proper sexual education to their children. The confusing about sex education of parents in Indonesia is because the lacking of awareness, the importance of sex education. Dr. Boyke mentioned that at least between 40 to 60 percent of children between the age of 13 to 18 in Indonesia have done sexual intercourse. If the Indonesian government and parent are more aware with sex education and give proper sex education for children, it will be really beneficial for them and children. There are three benefits of sex education that will make better future for children in Indonesia.

First, children can distinguish about sex organs between their opposite gender. They will know about proper action to maintain it and to control it, in order to make it healthy. As we know, sex education is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduction, age of consent, reproductive health, reproductive rights, safe sex, birth control and sexual abstinence. In fact, Alford S said that sex education which provides accurate, complete, and developmentally appropriate information of human sexuality, including risk-reduction strategies and contraception help young people take steps to protect their health, including delaying sex, using condoms or contraception and being monogamous. That’s why sex education will help children to know about the right and proper action regarding to sex aspect. 

Next, proper sex education can decrease the rate of cases towards to sexuality aspect such as abortion, HIV/AIDS, and so on. According to UNAIDS, Indonesia has one of the fastest growing HIV / AIDS cases in the Asian region, where there were approximately 650 thousand people living with AIDS in Indonesia back in 2016, with 38 thousand new cases of HIV infections at the time. From this fact, we must give proper sex education for children to lead them in right way. As we know, when children have known about the answer of their curiosity related to sex and they have proper information about that. They usually will be wiser than before and they will know the appropriate action supposed to do. They might not to do something bad such as abortion, marriage in the early age, free sex and so on. Even if, they still want to do sex, but they know how to do sex in safety way, which is using condom or other tools of contraception. A 2012 study that examined 66 comprehensive sexual risk reduction programs found them to be an effective public health strategy to reduce adolescent pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and STIs. From this fact, we can conclude that sex education will decrease the cases of negative affect of lacking sex education in Indonesia.

Last, discussion about proper sex education will make children and parents closer. As we know, when children don’t have someone to share about their feelings, they usually keep their feelings in mind. It might lead them to find it by themselves. If they try to find a bad way, it might bring negativity to them. That’s why, when they can talk about their feelings, especially related to the sexuality aspect with a proper person, such as parents. It will make them more comfortable and close together. According to Sinaga (2017) Communication skills of parents will give impact for characters of children. That’s why if children and parents talk about something privately and intensively such as sexuality, it will strengthen the relation between them and they will become closer together. 

To sum up, sex education is the key for better future of young generation. By implementing sex education in Indonesia will make Indonesia better than before. Sex education is not only beneficial for children itself, but it’s also beneficial for parents or even government. Sex education will make children more aware to sexual information, decrease the rate of sexual cases because the negative affect of lacking of sexual information, and discussion about sex education with parents can make them close together. That’s why sex education is important and will bring so many benefits especially in Indonesia.

NOTE : ***** = Hedging

References

Alford S, et al. Science and Success: Sex Education and Other Programs that Work to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth, 2008;

A Special Publication of the Journal of School Health. 2012: 6-9. http://www.futureofsexed.org/documents/josh-fose-standards-web.pdf. Accessed October 2, 2013.

https://www.kompasiana.com/michaelkevinflo/5bccfbdcaeebe17b3b06c073/the-importance-of-sex-education-for-indonesian-youths

https://www.dailycardinal.com/article/2020/02/the-importance-of-sexual-education

https://health.tki.org.nz/Teaching-in-HPE/Policy-guidelines/Sexuality-education-a-guide-for-principals-boards-of-trustees-and-teachers/Why-sexuality-education-is-important

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https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Allika_Syahas