Pornography is a cheap commodity, readily available to any young man in Phnom Penh, and, like any other culture, Cambodian music and theater is saturated with themes that revolve around romantic love. But, particularly for young people in Cambodia, advice, support, suggestions, and open discussion about topics that range from romance and courtship to sperms, fallopian tubes and orgasms are very rare commodities. Parents don't discuss these topics. Neither do teachers. The frog, from the bottom of the well, sees only the tiny bit of sky above him and thinks it is the whole world.
Ignorance is bliss, and bliss can be dangerous.
Many adult Cambodians believe that pregnancy is most likely to occur if a woman has sex during menstruation and that masturbation can damage a young man's brain. After a five-day training course, along with approximately 20 other peer group educators, Phal began to fill his starring role. He simply stood before a classroom full of students before they had a free class period and offered to talk with them about the taboo topic. If they wanted to stay and talk, they could. If they didn't, they could walk out.