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| The Applied Psychology Laboratory of Family Affairs and Child Development of UMM emphasizes the importance of sex education for children. (Foto: Istimewa) |
Sexual harassment news constantly and recently arise in social and mass media. The Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection even recorded that 542 women became the victims of sexual abuse in 2022. Severely, the rates of sexual violence against children is also higher: 2436 cases or 53,8 percent.
Identifying the phenomenon, the Applied Psychology Laboratory of Family Affairs and Child Development of UMM (Translated: Laboratorium Psikologi Terapan Keluarga dan Tumbuh Kembang Anak (LPT-KA)) initiated an action designed in a psychoeducation activity. In this opportunity, they collaborated with MI Nurul Huda to implement the program at the end of February 2023.
One of the speakers, Siti Maimunah, S.Psi., M.M., M.A. explains that sex education is not a taboo. In her view, parents normally think that sex education concerns sexual intercourse, whereas, it is not always related to it. Sex education, in fact, provides helpful topics for children: values implementation in family life, self-appreciation, and self-limitation emphasis toward other people. The last topic means delimiting areas of the body considered private to see and touch by others.
Sex education also emphasizes gender identity based on nature: keeping the genital area clean and how children understand the stages of physical and psychological development during puberty before they experience them. “Parents are the front guard to educate this matter. By providing early understanding, then children will get used to keeping their genital area as well as possible,” she added.
Siti emphasizes that objective communication between parents and children must exist in sex education. The more often parents start communication, the easier it will be for children to feel open and talk about many things they perceive.
Meanwhile, the Director of The Applied Psychology Laboratory of Family Affairs and Child Development of UMM, Diana Savitri Hidayati, M.Psi. states that this psychoeducation program aims to reduce the rates of sexual harassment in Indonesia. She expects parents to be more attentive in looking after and assisting their children.
“Indeed, education must integrate with parents, schools, and the environment. Then, we will try to establish partnerships with various other schools. Next, we will explain how crucial sex education is for children,” she asserted.
On the other hand, the school staff and the student guardians welcomed the activity well. The Headmaster of MI Nurul Huda, Sholeh, S.Pd. believes that the socialization from The Applied Psychology Laboratory of Family Affairs and Child Development of UMM is useful. Sex education should be explained at an early age to anticipate the growing rates of sexual violence.
“Hopefully, student guardians will be aware of and understand this, including to spread the information widely to neighbors or society,” she ended. (imh/*/wil)
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