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Sex education is instruction on issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual activity, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, sexual abstinence, and birth control. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, formal school programs, and public health campaigns.
Human sexuality has biological, physical, emotional and spiritual
aspects. The biological aspect of sexuality refers to the reproductive
mechanism as well as the basic biological drive, libido,
that exists in all species, which is strongly influenced by hormonal
levels. The emotional or physical aspect of sexuality refers to the bond
that arises between individuals, and is manifested physically or
through emotions such as love, trust and caring. There is also a
spiritual aspect of sexuality of an individual or as a connection with
others. Experience has shown that adolescents are curious about aspects
of their sexuality as well as the nature of sexuality in general, and
that many will seek to experience their sexuality in some way.
Traditionally, adolescents in many cultures were not given any
information on sexual matters, with discussion of these issues being
considered taboo.
Such instruction as was given was traditionally left to a child's
parents, and often this was put off until just before a child's
marriage. The progressive education movement of the late 19th century, however, led to the introduction of "social hygiene" in North American school curricula and the advent of school-based sex education.
Despite early inroads of school-based sex education, most of the
information on sexual matters in the mid-20th century was obtained
informally from friends and the media, and much of this information was
deficient or doubtful value, especially during the period following
puberty when curiosity of sexual matters was the most acute. This
deficiency became increasingly evident by the increasing incidence of
teenage pregnancies, especially in Western countries after the 1960s. As
part of each country's efforts to reduce such pregnancies, programs of
sex education were instituted, initially over strong opposition from
parent and religious groups.
The outbreak of AIDS has given a new sense of urgency to sex education. In many African countries, where AIDS is at epidemic levels (see HIV/AIDS in Africa), sex education is seen by most scientists as a vital public health strategy. Some international organizations such as Planned Parenthood consider that broad sex education programs have global benefits, such as controlling the risk of overpopulation and the advancement of women's rights (see also reproductive rights).
The use of mass media campaigns, however, has sometimes resulted in
high levels of "awareness" coupled with essentially superficial
knowledge of HIV transmission.
According to SIECUS,
the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States,
93% of adults they surveyed support sexuality education in high school
and 84% support it in junior high school.[dated info]
In fact, 88% of parents of junior high school students and 80% of
parents of high school students believe that sex education in school
makes it easier for them to talk to their adolescents about sex.
Also, 92% of adolescents report that they want both to talk to their
parents about sex and to have comprehensive in-school sex education.
Furthermore, a "...study, conducted by Mathematica Policy Research Inc.
on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found
that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs are ineffective
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