On the 17TH of February, 2006, webzine Ghanaweb published an
article under the heading ‘SSS Girls Sacked For Engaging in Gang sèx’.
In this story, ten girls of Mpraeso Secondary School (MPASS) were caught
in a gang sèx at a hotel and were alleged to be having sèx with five
Nigerians suspected to be drug dealers. Another interesting thing is
that each girl received ¢150,000 for the endurance and sèx skills.
Therefore, if these men are HIV positive and there was unprotected sèx
between them, then each infection has been exchanged for ¢150,000.What a
shame.
In fact this Ghanaweb article revealed to us
the kind of activities going on in our various schools and the fact
that young people are now lacking sèx education or maybe there is not
enough education on sèx for this young people. At least with the upsurge
of HIV/AIDS, I would expect my fellow young people to think before
engaging in such activities such as sèx.
I was told by a friend
that teenage girls in Ghana take pride in the number of sèx rounds they
can go and also the super skills they can exhibit. I hear they sometimes
laugh at men who cannot provide ‘hard f**k’ and also endure long
‘distances’. We need to wake up. Our young people are going wayward.
They are getting CRAZY each and every time.
I believe our parents
need to do more than they are doing now in providing enough sèx
education to their wards. I know it is not easy, but we need to save our
young people, we need to have a better Ghana filled with morally
upright youth who can take proper control of our motherland.
It
this article, I want to highlight some issues for parents on sèx
education and want to appeal to Ghanaweb as well as our media houses to
constantly publish articles that will remind our youth on the dangers
associated with sèx and also benefits of delaying early sèxual
activities, these articles I believe would help them in their proper
development.
The word S-E-X has been associated with social taboos
and cultural mystery. Even though it contributes to the continuation of
the human race, it is treated as if it is unnatural and even down right
dirty. This and other stigma attached to sèx makes parents scared about
discussing it with their children. sèx in the new millennium is filled
with risks – both emotional and physical. Gone are the days when the
only worry the sèxually active young person was unwanted pregnancy.
Girls especially were more worried. This wonderful millennium ushered in
a new revolution fueled by rampant STDs, high teenage pregnancy rates
and the incurable AIDS virus.
AIDS is on the rise among teens and young people in general, and the fact is, if you are sèxually active, you can get it.
Even
though I don’t have the exact figures, I believe a considerable number
of Ghanaian young people of10-24 years are sèxually active and as such
needs a kind of comprehensive sèx education so as to prevent pregnancies
and sèxually transmitted diseases.
These young people should also
have access to appropriate, comprehensive information about sèx,
sèxuality and the consequences of bringing children into the world. This
will build their decision-making skills to help protect them from
pressure to have sèx, unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sèxually
transmitted diseases.
So Parents,
If talking with your child about sèx is difficult for you, admit it. Keep a sense of humor. Do not be shy about it.
If talking with your child about sèx is difficult for you, admit it. Keep a sense of humor. Do not be shy about it.
Use TV, movies, articles, and real-life situations such as a friend’s pregnancy to begin talking about sèx.
I quite remember when we were very young; my mum will always use
television programmes and films to talk to us about sèx.Whenever there
is a drama or issue on pregnancy being discussed, she would immediately
start talking about it to us.
Share your values regarding sèx. If
you believe a person should save having sèx until marriage, say so.
Accept that your child may choose to have sèx despite your values.
Don’t assume that if your child asks questions about sèx, he or she is necessarily thinking about having sèx.
Ask
your child what he or she wants to know about sèx. If you don’t know an
answer, admit it. Find answers with your child in books or other
resources.
Talk with your child about reasons to wait to have sèx.
Remind your child that he or she can choose to wait (abstain) even if
he or she has had sèx before.
Reassure your child that not
everyone is having sèx and that it is okay to be a virgin. The decision
to become sèxually active is too important to be based on what other
people think or do.
Talk with your child about ways to handle
pressure from others to have sèx. To feel comfortable talking openly
with you, your child needs to know that you will not punish him or her
for being honest. Let your child trust you.
Leave age-appropriate
articles or books about teenage sèxuality around your home. Your child
will pick them up on his/her own and read them.
You may also find
resources such as books, videos etc., from a lot of good organizations
and Youth Centres like the Young and Wise Center of the Planned
Parenthood Association of Ghana. These centers have a lot of resources
that would help in the proper development of your child’s sèxual and
reproductive health. Visit them soon.
Finally, you should also remember to talk to your child often; your first talk with your child about sèx should not be your last! Talk with your child about sèx often. Let your child know that you are always willing to talk about any question, issue or concern he or she may have about sèx.
So Parents in Ghana, all the Parents in Africa, louder now, Come on – let’s talk about sèx!
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