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Italy last in Europe as regards sex education in schools

Italy, bringing up the rear as regards sex education in schools. At the dawn of 2023 “Italy is one of the very few countries in Europe, together with Cyprus, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Lithuania, without curricular programs on the merits”, observes Mario Puiattipresident of AIED (Italian Association of Demographic Education), at the last national conference held in Rome at the International Women’s House, as reposted from the website of theHandle.

Here are some data provided by National Fertility Study presented by the Ministry of Health (2019) on the current situation: today 8 out of 10 students (middle, high school and university) are looking for information in the sexual and reproductive fields on Internetwhile only 1 out of 4 asks in the family. Of these, the majority (94%) believe it should be there school having to guarantee theinformation on sexuality and reproduction. A gap which, however, evidently has not yet been filled.

«It is not a fact that surprises me, at all – begins the doctor Silvia Gioffredadoctor and sexologist – When I go to sex education in schools, I experience difficult situations: often courses jump at the last minute or teachers, or even school directors, want to be present in the classroom, for control what students are told».

«In Italy, we know, we are far behind from this point of view – the doctor increases the dose Roberta Rossipsychologist, psychotherapist, sexologist and Past President of FIX (Italian Federation of Scientific Sexology) – In the North more than in the South we have active sex education courses, often offered by the associations, sometimes requested by the Institute. But it would take one legislative stancewith courses provided by the Ministry of Education».

Over time, 16 parliamentary initiatives have been unsuccessfully launched to regulate the introduction of sex education in schools, from 1977 to 2019: «As FISS, we have often placed ourselves as interlocutors with the Government to launch a program in this sense. But every time a legislature expires or approaches its end, the discourse becomes dead paper», Rossi points out.

There are many virtuous examples from other countries where sex education in schools exists, exists and works: for example, in Australia is taught from kindergarten to age 12for each stage using the correct language, appropriate for the age.

“It is not we sexologists who argue that starting sex education in the preschool age is desirable, but theWHOwho stated that the right age to start talking about sex is precisely the range between 3 and 5 years – says the doctor Nicholas Macchione, urologist and andrologist – It is possible that at that age the first curiosities arise, seeing the belly of the mother or aunt: “But how did a child end up there?”. So, without bothering bees, storks or cabbagesbut with appropriate terms, one can explain to them that the union of two bodies that love and respect each other can give rise to life».

However, sex education cannot be carried out in institutions on the basis of personal initiative: «I know that my latest book (Simple sexpublished by Fabbri Editori, ed), is used by some teachers to set up debates in class. I’m glad, but sex education, I repeat, must be introduced as a course in the ministerial training programme and not as a one-off course.”

Also because that to affective and sexual education is a right of the human beingwhich pertains not only to the field of education, but to the health«to develop social and sexual relationships based on respect», says UNESCO.

«I would like to point out that the first to benefit from it would be the Ministry of Finance – continues Macchione – A citizen adequately educated on sexuality, therefore aware, is a person who falls ill less, also with regard to some forms of cancerlike the one from HPVor pathologies related to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or again from unwanted pregnancies».

Therefore, an introduction of systematic and planned sex education for the whole national territory is needed, wanted from above: «Yes, and the speech should be entrusted to psychologists, teachers and educators within primary and secondary schools – specifies the doctor Matthew Merigopsychologist, psychotherapist, clinical sexologist and couple counselor – Where, following precise stages, the growth of the future adult develops, also including risks of sexuality via social mediawhich between sexting, catfishing and revenge porn, opens up the scenarios on the potential and risks of the virtual”.

«I take the liberty of adding that the speech should be foreseen and extended also and above all to the parents – explains Gioffreda – Because it is useless for me as a specialist to transmit certain concepts in the classroom for four hours, if the children or adolescents then arrive home and find adults who belittle, misrepresent or even contrast what the professional reports. Often too we adults are uneducated on the matter: this gap should be filled».

«Even parents, in one way or another, are exposed to the virtual world, without knowing how to govern either the medium or the subject – Merigo concludes – The issue is therefore not only for the new generations, but for everyone. Let’s think about it: education on proper nutrition includes both young and old. The same approach must be applied to sexualityand without hesitation, if we want one truly inclusive, fair and aware society».

More stories from Vanity Fair that might interest you are:

How sexual frustration manifests itself and what it means to suffer from it

We still don’t talk enough about the clitoris


Source: Vanity Fair

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