Sex education is a combination of different terms like sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, intercourse, and reproductive health, emotional relations among humans, contraception and as well as sexual behaviors of humans. Sex education basically helps to process the information which is gathered, so that it helps them to form attitudes and beliefs about sex. It also helps in developing a young adult’s behavior and skills regarding their choices about intimacy and is confident enough to act upon the choices they have made.
It must be remembered that young adults have a right to sex education. You must be asking why? They should know how to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS, unwanted or unintended pregnancy, sexual exploitations, abuse (that is physical and emotional abuse), and diseases which have been transmitted through sexual intercourse like HPV. (McKeon 2006) The aim of sexual education is to reduce the risk of negative results from sexual behavior of young adults.
The unwanted results would include unwanted pregnancies and diseases which have been transmitted through sexual intercourse. Sex education is also used to help increase the quality of relationships between the young adults and it also helps them to understand and develop the ability of making decisions in their life. Effective sex education means that it is an education that is making a contribution on all of the above aims. Sex education can be taught formally and as well as informally.
By informal we mean that when an individual receives information from another source like maybe a parent, friend or through media (which would include magazines, TV, or the internet). And by formal method we mean that sex education is taught by schools and healthcare providers. (Allerston & Davies 2001) Sex education is even taught as a full course in some high and junior schools in countries like United States and Australia etc. There are also some schools that do not teach sex education because it is still considered as a social taboo or is a controversial issue in Middle Eastern Countries.
It must be remembered that if sex education is to be effective the young adults (or teenagers) need to develop skills in them because for them having information on this topic in not enough for them to make their decisions upon and acting on the choices they have made. With the help of sex education the young adults develop skills that are more linked skills that are used in the general life, for example, communication skills along with negotiating skills and listening skills.
These skills help them to understand relationships, they are able to make decisions and seek help and advice when they need it and it also helps them to assert their opinion. (McKeon 2006) The education helps them to develop other important skills like understanding and recognizing all kinds of pressure (especially peer pressure) and is able enough to resist it while seeking help from their parents, counselors or even from health provider etc.
We know that when sex education is effective when the young adults know how to differentiate between right and wrong information and are able to discuss social issues and even sex and sexuality issues, which include different cultures attitudes and issues, for example, sexuality, abortion, contraception, before marriage sex and transmission of diseases through sexual intercourse without any sort of protection.
It must be remembered that due to media and other forms of communication the young adults are more exposed than ever before about a wide variety of attitudes and beliefs that are in relation with sexual intimacy and sexuality of an individual. The educators must keep in mind that young adults are most interested in cultural and as well as other frameworks that binds sec and sexuality together. And they are more open in talking and discussing issues like abortions, contraception, intercourse and transmission of disease through it.
It is important that the educators must remember that when they are educating the young adults, and if they want the education to be effective, then they would need to provide them with the opportunity to explore different reasons in regard with sexual intercourse. For example, why people have sex, what are reasons behind it or what is the role of emotions in this process? The young adults need to understand that they have to respect each other and themselves, they need to understand their bodies along with their feelings and decisions they are going to make about sexual intercourse.
It is the duty of the educator to provide the right kind of information to the young adults because they (young adults) are very impressionable and most times it so happens that they are provided with inaccurate information and for them no accept the inaccurate information they need to have the accurate one about sex and sexuality. They are provided information from different kinds of medium like TV, books, magazines, and the most dangerous of all; the internet.
For example young adults might have heard that nothing can protect them against HIV/AIDS not even the use of protection. (Allerston & Davies 2001) Another example would be that they might have heard even if they do become HIV positive then there is a cure available for it. Hence it is the duty of the educator to correct it and provide the right and accurate information. Information is one thing that can make sex education very effective, but the accurate kind. The young adults basically need to information on four kinds of topics.
They are 1) sexual development; information based on changes which are related to physical and emotional changes in the body, 2) reproduction; this is related to fertility and transmission of diseases like HIV, genital herpes or HPV (Human Papillomavirus), 3) Contraception; this is related to protection in the form of contraceptive pills, condoms or birth control pills and 4) relationships; it is related to commitment, marriage and partnerships between individuals who are having sexual intercourse.