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By Meg Hickling
 The
most common question that I have received over my 27 year teaching
career, when I say teaching sexual health should begin at birth is
"Why do we have to start so young? I want my child to remain innocent.
I want my child to have a childhood, they don’t need this information
at a young age."
There are two profound reasons for beginning early. First, when a child is taught scientific names for the genitals and reproductive systems, in the same way we call an elbow and elbow, they have no overwhelming shame or shyness around that part of the body. They are free to ask questions, to report injuries or infections, and to think clearly about sexual health.
When parents provide such information it establishes trust and openness in their relationships with their children. Self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as respect for others, is enhanced.
Secondly, many studies have shown that children who are educated and self-confident are abuse-resistant. Sexual abusers avoid educated children, in part, because even if the abuser does manipulate the child into an abuse situation, the knowledgable child will tell.
Sexual health education quite simply saves lives, physical lives, emotional lives.
Nothing destroys innocence more thoroughly or ends childhood faster than sexual abuse. It is time to end the shame, the embarrassment and the lack of education on sexual health. It is not just about "having sex". It involves every aspect of our being in the world and in our relationships with each other and with our spirituality.
Of course, each of us as adults in today’s world need to recognize
our own areas of need for further education and for development of
confidence and competence, so that we can be responsible and mature
educators. We need to learn to celebrate the gift of sexuality and
rejoice in the learning process and in our maturity development.
Meg Hickling is author of Speaking of Sex (Northstone); Boys, Girls
and Body Science (Harbour Publishing)
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