It’s child abuse!
The founder of an organisation which promotes sex after marriage is warning that Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is a form of child abuse that must not be taught to the nation’s children.
Founder of Pure Sex Centre, Ambrose Carter, said he is standing by the belief that teaching CSE in the island’s schools would be a dangerous undertaking, indicating that research has proven that this form of sex education encourages children to have oral and vaginal sex and intercourse and entertains the idea of sex with multiple partners.
“In short, CSE promotes sexual immorality and promiscuity. Comprehensive Sexuality Education will undermine traditional Bajan morality, and destabilise the family as we know it. Comprehensive Sexuality Education will erode traditional Bajan family values, those that kept us safe these past 300 years and we cannot afford to let that happen, we must put a stop to CSE,” he said.
Carter was speaking to the media at the Bethel Pentecostal Church, where he informed the congregation about the dangers of CSE.
However, the pure sex advocate who said he agreed that children should be taught to avoid early sexual interaction is not alone in his view that CSE should not be taught in schools.
Two weeks ago, while speaking in the Senate, Government Senator, Dr. David Durant advised the ruling Administration and parent teachers association to resist the introduction of CSE in schools, as he denounced this form of education as one of the greatest assaults on the innocence and health of children.
Just last week, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Barbados, Bishop Jason Gordon, who added his voice to the topic, stated that while puberty is one of the most critical stages of an individual's development, a parent should be their child's first educator, particularly as it relates to spreading knowledge about sexuality, values and expectations. Bishop Gordon was adamant that the task to teach students about sex should not be left to teachers.
However, in a response to the critics, former head of the Barbados Family Planning Association, George Griffith, argued that the common view of these men is rooted in a set of deep-seated myths and downright misinformation based on denial and failure to accept that in this day and age, our children cannot be insulated from the realities of today’s twenty-first century world.
Griffith said CSE empowers young people to know and demand their rights and does not lead to earlier sexual activity or riskier sexual behaviour.
Griffith further pointed out that credible research has consistently shown that children exposed to CSE have avoided premature sexual activity, experienced less sexually transmitted infections, less teenage pregnancies and have demonstrated high levels of self-esteem.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), CSE is an age-appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sex and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic, non-judgemental information.
UNESCO also states that sexuality education provides opportunities to explore one’s own values and attitudes and to build decision-making, communication and risk reduction skills about many aspects of sexuality. The term comprehensive emphasises an approach to sexuality education that encompasses the full range of information, skills and values to enable young people to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and to make decisions about their health and sexuality.
“Individuals would want to make this a religious fight. But according to the UN Conventions on the children, it is sexual abuse that exposes children under the age of 18, to sexually explicit material,” Carter said.
(AH)