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SCMP Reporter

I SHARE the sentiments expressed by your reader in the letter headlined, 'Come to some agreement' (South China Morning Post, November 17), in which the correspondent pointed out correctly the importance of sex education for young people in Hong Kong.

  As a student and also a daughter, I see that the concept of sex is totally misunderstood by my classmates and by parents. Sometimes, when I talk about the subject of sex in a discussion with my classmates, it is interesting to see them blush simultaneously. Sex is regarded as such a taboo subject, that my friends quickly change the subject.

   My parents seldom mention the subject to me even though we always maintain an open line of communication and we openly discuss just about everything else. Perhaps they find it awfully embarrassing and find it difficult to start a discussion on sex with me.

  Anyway, I am sure there are lots of young people in Hong Kong who have similar experiences.

  If somebody was to ask me if there is enough sex education in Hong Kong, I would say, without hesitation, that it was 'unbearably inadequate'.

  I can explain my answer based on the following points.

  Firstly, the number of accidental pregnancies among underage girls is soaring sharply from year to year. It seems to me that these young girls have no idea what safe sex means.

  Secondly, the territory is being deluged with low-grade movies and pornographic comics or magazines, which means that young people are being exposed to explicit sexuality.

  Because of this, an increasing number of young people, out of curiosity, are engaged in sexual activities.

  What is even more serious, is that an increasing number of people are contracting AIDS, some because they lack the correct attitude towards sex and lack the proper knowledge. Therefore, it stands to reason that most of the blame for the increase of unwanted pregnancies and sexual abuse should be attributed to the inadequacy of proper sex education among youngsters in Hong Kong.

   It is high time more effort was made to promote sex education in Hong Kong, as it would help young people to clear up misconceptions on this subject and give them the right ideas. Sex education should not be neglected in the territory.

  K.D. WONG Chai Wan 



Getting into trouble through ignorance