A group backed by lawmakers from across the political spectrum has called on the government to tackle the increasing prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) among teenagers.
At a news conference organized by the Action Alliance on Basic Education (AABE) in Taipei yesterday, alliance director Wang Han-yang (王瀚陽) called for the immediate implementation of an interagency “sexual health prevention and treatment plan” for the nation’s young people.
The alliance highlighted figures released by the Centers for Disease Control that showed a more-than-sixfold increase in gonorrhea cases in boys aged 15 to 19 over the past decade, from 111 cases in 2012 to 756 cases in 2023.
Photo : Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times
During the same period, the number of gonorrhea cases in girls aged 15 to 19 rose more than eightfold, from 26 cases to 222 cases, the alliance said.
While the increasing prevalence of STIs among young people is an issue faced by many countries around the world, the alliance said that it was “a matter of utmost urgency” for Taiwan.
Speaking at the news conference, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yueh-chin (林月琴) said she hoped that schools and families could educate children from a young age about the risks of STIs.
Teenagers “should not be proud” of their sexual behavior, but nor should they feel “ashamed,” because not talking about it “could lead to incorrect knowledge about sex” and expose them to STIs, Lin said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) spoke about “sexualized concepts” promoted by many online influencers and content creators, and urged the government not to overlook the aspect of “social education” in addressing the issue of STIs among young people.
Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) said that “stigma and prejudice” over STIs in Taiwanese society had prevented many people from seeking medical treatment.
“It is impossible to enforce a total ban on sex among teenagers, but they should be informed about STI prevention and contraceptive measures as early as possible,” Chen said.
Established in 2014, the AABE monitors the formulation, planning and implementation of education policies, according to the group’s Web site.
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