During a Children's Society lecture conducted by Professor Walter Woon, the issue concerning underage teens engaging in casual sex was discussed. According to the lecture, the media and Internet have played a big part in cultivating a highly liberal mindset amongst teens today.
Carol Balhetchet, the Director for Youth Services of Children's Society in Singapore said: "The media in various forms is giving that message that it's cool to be quite open about your sexuality. They tend to experiment and try out, literally try it out, and if you are not in the group that has tried it out, then you are not cool."
Teens are at that stage in their life where they need to be accepted and loved. And if their peers think that casual sex is cool, then there's no stopping them from doing it just to belong.
Some teenagers are even very open about their sexual exploits, normalising their behaviour with their acquaintances. Many teenagers start out by just experimenting to prove to their peers that they are cool with it. But eventually, they get hooked to the habit and can't stop doing it.
The problem of minors viewing sex as something very casual has continued to escalate throughout the years. Addressing this issue is not the job of a single sector of our society. Homes, schools and civic organisations should work together to provide guidance and counselling to nurture the minds of the youth.
Here is what some of our readers had to say about the issue of casual teen sex in Singapore:
#1
Jeremy: While of course underage sex in general probably isn’t ideal for society, I very much favour America’s approach to teen sexuality: that teens will be teens and that it’s more important that they have safe and responsible sex.
#2
Ben: Singapore needs to provide a healthy environment for these teenagers to hang out. Encourage them to join an organization such as children society to engage them to help others. I believe that when individual has a sense of confidence in oneself, it is not easy to be influenced by friends. Yes parents and schools can provide education and communication for them. But we need to have them think for themselves too.
#3
Charity: Parents should also make an effort to educate their kids about sex.
What are your thoughts on casual sex amongst Singapore teenagers? Share them below.