Times: Church in denial on sexual behaviour

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080626/letters/church-in-denial-on-sexual-behaviour
Thursday, 26th June 2008
Richard Stagno Navarra, Lija
The report regarding an HBSC survey on youth culture in Malta (June 23 see excerpt below) says among other things that the Curia ordered the students in Church schools not to answer the questions on sexual behaviour. These referred to intercourse, the contraceptive pill and condom use. This is an outdated attitude which certainly does not help educate young men and women.
I am sure that students who attend Church schools are very much like children in other schools and the Curia must know that they face the same problems in every field including sexual behaviour. The Church has every right to teach that sex before marriage is wrong and that
any form of contraception is prohibited. However, it cannot run away from the fact that these are used and instead of turning a blind eye to such a situation it should try and explain to youngsters how they should behave.
I understand that the Church cannot condone certain aspects of sexual behaviour but it cannot act as if these problems do not exist even among some students who attend her schools. Young people today need help and advice as there are so many of them facing problems in their
families. This is where the Church should step in instead of banning children from answering questions which could very well be pertinent to these youngsters.
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Children are heavy drinkers, but no drunks (See link for comments)
Ariadne Massa
Monday, 23rd June 2008

Excerpt:
These figures emerge from the latest Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children Study (HBSC), which is carried out in Europe and North America every four years and looks into the social background, body image, health, and risk behaviours of schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15. A sample of 1,500 students was taken from each age group for the study that was conducted in 2006.
Malta's data on sexual behaviour is missing after Church schools were instructed by the Curia not to fill in the questions related to intercourse, the contraceptive pill and condom use.