UNFPA Report: More Sexual Education Needed in Turkey

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Demographics Association have carried out a study on sexual and reproductive health among the young in Turkey.

The results show that there is a great need for further education in order to raise awareness on reproductive organs and their functions, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS.

Too much ignorance about reproductive organs 

When young people were asked to list the reproductive organs of women, 49.7 percent were able to list the vagina, 40.2 percent the ovaries, and 27.9 percent the uterus. 21.1 percent of men and 27.7 percent of women said they did not know.

As for the male reproductive organs, 60.9 percent were able to list the penis, 35.2 percent the testicles, and 2.9 the prostrate gland. 15.7 percent of men and 39.5 percent of women said they did not know the names of the organs.

People need more education on contraception 

41.6 percent of the young people did not know about the ovulation period in women or its relation to possible pregnancy.

As for birth control, 79.9 percent of women knew about the contraceptive pill, 54.1 percent about inter-uterine devices, and 50.6 percent about condoms. Men’s answers were similar, but with much lower percentages. 48.7 percent of the young women saw “early withdrawal” of a man during sexual intercourse as an effective means of contraception.

Symptoms of STDs not known 

83.7 percent of the persons surveyed had heard of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). 79.9 percent of women and 87.5 percent of men knew what they were. The most frequently named STD was HIV/AIDS (90.6 percent), followed by hepatitis (27.8 percent) and gonorrhea (14.3 percent).
However, although they had heard the names, most of them did not know their symptoms in males (73.7 percent of women and 57.2 of men) or in females (69.5 percent of women and 74.6 of men).

Of those who had heard of STDs and knew that one could prevent their transmission, only 59.1 percent knew that condoms were a way of protection.
A disturbing lack of information means that those who had heard of HIV/AIDS, 70.2 percent would not want to kiss a person with HIV on the cheek, 61.0 percent would feel uncomfortable hugging a person with HIV, 57.9 percent would not want to be in the same room, and 45.4 percent would not want to shake hands. (NZ/GG)