CONVERSATIONS around sex are still relatively “taboo” in Malaysia, due to the country being a multiethnic, multicultural and multireligious melting pot.
In some cases, the very notion of bringing up the topic of sexual education seems like a tightrope act; one accidental misstep, and the sensitivities of one or more groups may be affected.
Despite the walking on eggshells nature of it all, there are still a lot of parties interested in having it, particularly when it comes to the betterment of younger Malaysians in terms of reducing sexual knowledge gaps, the equipping of accurate information and in guiding them in making better and more informed decisions around sexual activities.
Bringing together a wide variety of likeminded forward thinkers for the launch of their #ComeTogether campaign, Durex unveiled the findings of their recent Sexual Health and Intimate Wellness Survey, which was conducted on 1,089 Malaysian youths.
The survey comes several years after Durex Malaysia’s initial survey in 2016, and the latest key findings ranged from interesting to eye-raising.
Increased activity, stagnating awareness
The findings of the survey were categorised into Malaysian youths’ sexual activity, perceptions versus reality, and sexual and reproductive health knowledge levels.
It’s biggest revelation was that 35.4% of the country’s youth have had sexual intercourse, which is a little more than a twofold increase from the findings in 2016.
In that number, 62% of Malaysian youths revealed that they had their first sexual experience at 22 years old or younger; it was 42% six years ago.
The findings are telling a clear narrative of where Malaysia’s current generation of youths are headed, while the rest of the survey’s findings show that a lot of work still has to be done by relevant stakeholders, groups and organisations when it comes to deploying better sexual education.
For instance, 31% of respondents were under the impression that women would not get pregnant the first time she engages in sex.
Just as worrying is how almost 40% of respondents believed that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were only transmitted through penetrative sex, while 35% falsely believed that two condoms are better than one.
On the perceptions of sex and intimacy, an alarming 40% of the respondents revealed that they were pressured to have sex, while one out of three respondents believe that the sex performed in pornographic material is normal sex.
Not a specific methodology
While the survey’s results were extensive and insightful, the age range of what Durex Malaysia considered to be “youths” was called into question during the panel discussion.
According to the survey, youths are categorised as those between the ages of 18 to 30, which isn’t necessarily the same as what others would consider to be a youth, which would include those classified as minors.
It was something that Durex Malaysia Marketing Manager Jerome Goh acknowledged, pointing that the definition is inherently varied.
“There is no definite answer in the ‘age’ of the youth,” he said.
“But this is how the survey has been formed to make sure that it caters to the needs of the youth in Malaysia, because that [age range] is where we felt they were most suppressed in terms of knowledge,” he continued.
It was also added that for a brand such as Durex to do a survey as such this, consent is needed, and below the age of 18, children are not able to do so according to the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Another point raised was how the survey skewed towards urban Malaysia, with the findings respondents being split into five regions; Central at 34%, East Malaysia at 19%, Northern at 18%, Southern at 16% and the East Coast at 12%.
In December last year, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun revealed in Parliament that Johor (Southern), Sabah and Sarawak (East Malaysia) were among the top states with the highest number of out-of-wedlock teen pregnancies.
Questioned by theSun on why the survey’s respondents came mainly from “Central” Malaysia, and not from the more at-risk regions such as the above, Goh said that “the survey was formed [to be representative] of the whole of Malaysia.”
Open dialogue moving forward
He also assured that the brand would be adaptive and progressive as they continue with further initiatives in being more specific.
“This is the key thing we are working towards. Whether the survey covers certain states that, say, has higher teen pregnancy rates, it may or may not, but the [goal] here is to get everyone into one conversation that normalises and empowers the youth,” he concluded.
“This is a very sensitive topic, but its [important to approach] all stakeholders and having a holistic approach [for the youths’ sexual education],” added United Nations Population Fund Programme Analyst Tengku Aira.
SPOT Community Project Founder Siti Aishah noted that sexuality education in a culturally and developmentally appropriate manner is key to equipping young people with the knowledge to prevent STIs, sexual related issues and unplanned pregnancies.
Durex Malaysia’s #ComeTogether campaign will see the company conducting workshops on sexual health at higher learning institutions in September.
