Sex Education Needed More Than Ever

According to official figures in Germany, between 1996 and 2001, abortions increased by some 60 percent among 15- to 17-year-olds and by 90 percent among girls even younger, reports Der Spiegel. Norbert Kluge, of the University of Koblenz-Landau, states that while children are reaching sexual maturity at an ever earlier age, they are ‘not properly educated in sexual matters—and especially not early enough.’ Children need to be well informed about the facts of life before they reach the age of ten, but many parents shy away from their responsibility, says Kluge. According to the Berliner Morgenpost, the director of the Federal Parents Council in Bonn advises parents to dwell more on emotional themes, such as “love and relationships,” when giving sex education to their children, rather than on the biological processes.