CRI听力:Enjoy Youth

According to a recent survey made by the China Population Welfare Foundation, about 90 percent of Chinese teenagers do not have adequate knowledge about sex and that alone is harmful. In dealing with this social problem, some organizations and college students are participating in activities, hoping to change the situation. Xu Weiyi has the details. 




"Some young girls appear to be very shy as they have problems about contraception and come for help. Sometimes, they choose small clinics rather than normal hospitals because they don't want other people to know about their problems. But that is very risky and could threaten their lives."

Pei Kaiyan, managing director of the Chinese Journal of Family Planning, is very worried about young girls who are suffering, or have suffered from the pain of abortion as a result from an unexpected pregnancy.

As Chinese people's living conditions develop, children today grow up much quicker than their parents did and therefore sexual maturation arrives earlier in life. However, education about sexually health-related issues is not enough. About ninety percent of teenagers and young adults lack scientific knowledge in this area.

Lan Ye, Vice Secretary General of CPWF, explains the reason behind this.

"Though things have changed greatly since the launch of China's reform and opening up policy, the Chinese are still too shy to talk about sex because of their traditional culture. Even though we have such courses in middle schools, they are still not very effective."

Even some college students are in need of sex education. On the one hand, due to the influence of films, TV shows, and pictures and articles on the internet, they are very curious about sex. On the other hand, they do not know who to ask when it comes to finding out more, so they turn to the internet for answers. However, not all information found online is correct, and it may mislead them.

21-year-old Niu Zhijian tells of his own experience.

"Reading 'Dream of the Red Chamber' was forbidden in middle school, because there are some descriptions of love and sex in this classic Chinese novel. I got to know about these after I joined a peer education club which promoted sexual health. I thought it was very meaningful."

Cai Jie is a sophomore student from Minzu University of China, which was formerly known as the Central University of Nationalities. She says teenagers from some minority groups in China have even less knowledge about sexual health than ethnic Han people.

"Because of their religion, traditions national culture, and living customs, many youngsters from ethnic minorities cannot receive sexual education very well. I hope by promoting peer education, they can know more about how to ensure their sexual health."

To improve the situation, many college students have founded their own organizations. By holding peer education activities and lectures about sexual heath, they have tried to help their classmates and friends learn how to protect themselves and enjoy healthy lives.

Yang Yuanzhe, who is in charge of a youth health program of the volunteers association at Renmin University, says it is also very important to teach students how to use the knowledge in their daily lives.

"Some college students spend all their time studying. They have learned about sexual health but just take it as part of the courses they have to pass, and do not pay enough attention to its realistic applications. That's what we are working to change."

Meanwhile, some hospitals have set up special rooms for teenagers and young adults, where they can get help from doctors regarding their sexual health. Their visits are kept confidential, which helps the young people feel more at ease.

Only by accessing adequate sexual information and applying it in their daily lives, can young people better protect themselves and enjoy better health.