Print-friendly version Shying from sex talk opens door for crimes Dr. Kunio Kitamura is head of the Japan Family Planning Association. He specializes in dealing with issues such as sex, birth control, abortion, puberty worries, sexually transmitted diseases, child-raising (he is a father of five), general gynecology and domestic violence. If he cannot handle directly a problem he has been presented with, he will draw on a wide variety of specialists to provide assistance.
This column is prompted by an August news story about a 16-year-old Yokohama girl arrested for abandoning the body of the baby she had just given birth to in the toilet of her home. She was apparently scared that her baby's cries would alert her family to her pregnancy and smothered it to keep the newborn quiet.
It used to be perfectly normal for 14- or 15-year-olds to marry and have children in Japan. As animals, they were naturally reproducing. However, as we began to seek greater wealth, better education and marriage at a later age quickly became the norm and we denied our animal instincts for sex.
I wonder how parents and teachers view this situation. Surely they can't be thinking that the children in their care aren't having sex. If they have such little understanding and are so reluctant to talk about sex, ignoring the signs children give off, they probably aren't capable of realizing that they will never solve their problems.
Adults may not think young people are capable of deciding whether they want to have a child or not. Whereas an average of 54.4 babies are born to every 1,000 mothers aged 15 to 19 in the United States, while 3.9 babies are born to every 1,000 mothers in this age group in Japan. Perhaps Japan is not showing enough consideration for the reproductive health and reproductive rights of its young.
Of course, I don't want to give the impression that raising children is a bed of roses, but you do have to ask the question of whether our society is a healthy one if it forces a young woman to artificially terminate a pregnancy that she would prefer to go through with. Of course, you must also consider that the right to abortion also exists. But, I feel that if Japan's youth were taught that there are all different sorts of lifestyles and many possible choices, tragedies like the one that befell the Yokohama girl and her newborn child might not have needed to happen.
Chimpanzees start mating immediately after menstruation has begun or ejaculation becomes possible. Considering that we are animals, maybe it wouldn't be strange for humans to start having sex at 12 or 13. However, as we are animals capable of rational thought, we know that it's not right to hurt, maim or kill others, so it is our responsibility as adults to provide children with education during puberty to support them and make sure they are not so ignorant as to do these things.
* If we are going to live in denial about sex in younger generations, then it will not be possible for youths to consult adults close to them -- parents, teachers, friends -- about sex or related matters such as pregnancy. Many young rape victims often feel unable to talk to their parents to get help. Parents dealing with girls in this situation should tell them that they are not alone, that they can always consult with them if they want to.
The stance of "letting sleeping dogs lie" won't stop unwanted sex-related crimes from happening. Learning scientifically, correctly and in detail can make kids treat sex with greater caution, or even make them a little scared of it.
I've used this column several times to point out that this country does not invest enough in efforts to support pubescent children's health and rights. Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases in the young should be free to make sure they're detected and treated early and the Pill should be prescribed for free.
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