By Deborah Choo / Youth Writer

THE RECENT  saga of a 17-year-old teenager, whose story graced newspapers after being charged for having sex with an 11-year-old minor would be familiar to many Singaporeans by now. My friends and I were engaged in a heated debate about this issue that ended in a deadlock.

The 17-year-old boy was apparently “traditional”, as his mother had claimed. She was in utter shock when he broke the news to her. The girl he had sex with, and had met on the Internet, is now 13. The volume of news carrying reports on teenage sex has been escalating over the decades.

That prompted me to wonder who is it to blame for the perception of sex and marriage that teens – or rather the Generation Y and Z – have nowadays. Is it the overexposure of sex and nudity scenes in the media, the lack of communication within families on sex matters, or simply because sex education in schools has gone down the drain?

My verdict: All have a role to play.

The Development of Censorship in Singapore

Film censorship has gradually been laxed, with the Censorship Review Committee (CRC) meeting up every ten years to “review and update censorship objectives and principles to meet the long-term interests of our society”.
CRC was first born in 1992, and was tasked with reviewing and recommending appropriate changes to legislation, adopting a more liberal approach for material possessing artistic merits.

Under the leadership of Professor Tommy Koh Thong Bee, the Committee reviewed the regulations based on individual’s responses to discussions and surveys which serve to detect any shift in moral values.

The survey revealed that the society remains deeply rooted in traditional beliefs and moral values that are in line with their religion and upbringing.

CRC 2002/03, which had 22 members, conducted another review of the policies. Similarly as in CRC 1992, the reviews are done based on any shift in the society’s moral acceptance. It is important to note that ultimately, it is the public who determines the level of censorship legislated.

Sex education – the role of parents and schools

Asian parents are still unable to get over the social inhibition of talking to their children openly about sex, often shyly avoiding the subject. Only when the need arises do many go into a state of panic and drop subtle hints which their teenage children seldom pick up.

I know of parents who are constantly worried that their teens would “sleep around.” They chose to complain to others, rather than have a heart-to-heart talk with their children. When quipped, one replied with a frown, “These kind of thing, how to talk to him? So embarrassing!”

Regarding sex education in schools, many teenagers see it as unnecessary. Thus, the attitude of teachers executing the sex education lesson has a major role to play. I once had this teacher who delivered the lesson in a fun and interactive manner by injecting humour and educative tips. Teenagers will listen – but you as parents or teachers must know how to hit the right note.

The Impact of the Media

Due to the rise of a tech-savvy generation, the increasing influence of the media on teens is undeniable. They are being exposed to nudity scenes at a younger age.

Today, splashing the covers of magazines are ladies who wear skimpy bikinis. It is not solely characteristic of FHM, Playboy or even Shape. 8 Days, for one, has released such pictures over time.

MediaCorp artiste Zoe Tay appeared on the cover of 8 Days many years back. She was wearing a nude colour tube, which raised a lot of attention. She to later clarify that she did not appear stark naked on the set.

More recently, scantily clad MediaCorp artistes Dawn Yeoh and Joanne Peh flanked a half-naked Christopher Lee. They were promoting a new Channel 8 drama, Volleyball Babes, which starred Felicia Chin, Joanne Peh, Dawn Yeoh, Jessica Liu, Jade Seah and Christopher Lee.

Personal Experience

Amongst my bevy of friends, I have several who have unabashedly admitted that they have sex with their boyfriends or girlfriends, substantiating it with reasons such as “sex is important to keep the relationship going.”

Being intimate with their partners has become such an integral part of their lives that I was caught by surprise when I saw them browsing over a book together, interrupted with exchanges of incessant chatter and giggles. Then I realised: It was a book filled with sex tips.

As I mentioned earlier, all three roles; parents, school and the media, are deeply intertwined and sends collective message to the teenagers of today. Sex education should not just be restricted to the schools, but should be the effort of all.

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