About 60 percent of parents believe body safety and boundaries are suitable to be taught to children aged between five and eight, and other aspects of sex education should be taught to students between 15 and 18, a poll conducted by a local association found.
The poll was conducted by the Taiwan Association for Sexuality Education and Action Alliance on Basic Education from April 10 through May 12 and received 1,203 valid responses.
The poll wanted to gauge parents’ thoughts on how the three core concepts of general sex education — values, rights, culture and sex; sex and sexual behavior; and sex and reproductive health — should be taught and what age groups they are suitable for, Action Alliance on Basic Education chairman Wang Han-yang (王瀚陽) said.
Photo: Lai Hsiao-tung, Taipei Times
Respondents said it was suitable to teach elementary-school children about self-protection, puberty, family, gender and roles, asking adults for help and not discriminating against those with different sexual orientations.
More than 60 percent of respondents said elementary school children should be taught about physical boundaries.
A Taiwan Local Sexuality Education Needs census showed that more than 60 percent felt sex education pertaining to body boundaries should be taught to children aged five to eight, while sex-related content should be taught to students around 15 to 18 years old.
Of the 49 topics available, parents felt 33 were suitable to be taught to children in junior-high school.
Respondents said 19 of the questions should be discussed with adolescents, while eight of the questions should be taught to younger children.
Taiwan Association for Sexuality Education vice chairman Feng Chia-yu (馮嘉玉) said issues on physical boundaries, self-protection and mitigating sex-related risks in Taiwan were introduced ahead of the recommended age as suggested by the UN.
However, parents’ responses to questions on sexual attraction and sexual pleasure, such as recommending that they be delayed beyond the age recommended by the UN, shows it is unsuitable to fully introduce foreign policies and experiences on the issue in Taiwan, Feng said.
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