Riko Niino - 1(NIT (KOSEN), Wakayama College)

Defending Teenagers
Riko Niino (NIT (KOSEN), Wakayama College)
What do you do when you catch a cold? Go to hospital, take medicine, take a rest,or get some advice from your family and friends? I think most people have common
knowledge about cold treatments. Now, what would you do if you had an unexpected
pregnancy? Is there someone you could talk to about it? Would you know how to deal
with it yourself?
I’m an open-minded person so sometimes my friends consult me about their sexualconcerns. For example, “I want to take birth control pills, but I’m too ashamed to go tohospital” or “My period hasn’t come yet, I am anxious. What should I do?” They don’tknow what to do. They can’t even ask for advice from their friends or family because
they are too ashamed. I feel frustrated when I see them so worried. Why do we need tofeel ashamed of talking about and protecting our bodies? Our sexual health is at risk
because of shame.
In Japan, the number of teenage abortions is close to 13,000 cases a year. Inaddition, more than 3,000 teenagers become victims of sexual abuse every year. These
data suggest that teenagers may not have the necessary knowledge to protect
themselves. In fact, WHO and UNESCO promote sexual education based on an effective,
learner-centric approach in their guidelines called Comprehensive Sexuality Education,
or CSE in short. CSE isn’t just about sexual intercourse or childbirth. It is sex education
based on science, gender equality, and human rights. It is called comprehensive because
it teaches the emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality. Although CSE haseight areas, Japanese sex education only focuses on the physical concepts: the human
body, and sexual and reproductive health. However, we don’t cover important matterssuch as relationships or sexual behavior. A lack of knowledge in these areas leads to low
self-esteem, prejudice, sexual discrimination, and even sexual abuse.
I think we need to prevent people from being hurt by ignorance. So, I decided totake action myself. I tried to conduct a survey in school in order to investigate fellow
students’ perceptions and needs regarding sex education. The purpose of the survey was
to understand the actual situation of students and to encourage our school to set up
counseling facilities and hold lectures for students. However, I was very shocked whensome teachers refused to conduct the survey, saying the contents were too sensitive andprovocative. There was also a backlash from schoolmates. There are teachers who
support my project but it has gone nowhere fast. The negative attitude of my school
precisely reflects the lack of openness and sense of shame regarding sexuality in oursociety.
Sex education should never be a shameful thing, and nor is it something we should
keep quiet about. In particular, teenagers, our generation, are naturally curious about
sex, but still very vulnerable. You may have sexual problems or feel uncomfortable withyour body. A society where you can't talk to anyone about these concerns should beoutdated by now. We need comprehensive sexuality education in all educational

Riko Niino - 2(NIT (KOSEN), Wakayama College)
institutions, including KOSEN. I believe knowledge is the most powerful tool we have toprotect our bodies and minds.