Shaping Sexual Knowledge: A Cultural History of Sex Education in Twentieth Century Europe.

Routledge Studies in the Social History of Medicine (ED532743)

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2012-05-15 Author(s):Sauerteig, Lutz, Ed.; Davidson, Pub Date: Roger, Ed. Pub Type(s): Books; Collected Works General Source: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group Peer Reviewed: Descriptors: Social History; Sex Education; Pregnancy; Children; Medicine; Foreign Countries; Sexuality; Birth; Mass Media Role; Health Behavior; Adolescents; Informal Education; Legislation; Catholics; Religious Factors Abstract: The history of sex education enables us to gain valuable insights into the cultural constructions of what different societies have defined as 'normal' sexuality and sexual health. Yet, the history of sex education has only recently attracted the full attention of historians of modern sexuality. "Shaping Sexual Knowledge: A Cultural History of Sex Education in Twentieth Century Europe" makes a considerable contribution not only to the cultural history of sexual enlightenment and identity in modern Europe, but also to the history of childhood and adolescence. The essays collected in this volume treat sex education in the broadest sense, incorporating all aspects of the formal and informal shaping of sexual knowledge and awareness of the young. The volume, therefore, not only addresses officially-sanctioned and regulated sex education delivered within the school system and regulated by the State and in some cases the Church, but also the content, iconography and experience of sexual enlightenment within the private sphere of the family and as portrayed through the media. This book begins with "Shaping Sexual Knowledge of the Young," an introduction by Lutz D.H. Sauerteig and Roger Davidson. Part I, Sex Education, Sexual Rights, Society and the Child, contains: (2) In Ignorance and in Knowledge: Reflections on the History of Sex Education in Britain (Lesley A. Hall); and (3) Sex Education and the Law in England and Wales: The Importance of Legal Narratives (Ann Blair and Daniel Monk). Part II, Shaping Sex Education Policy: Religion, Medicine and the State, contains: (4) Taking the Middle Way: Sex Education Debates in Sweden in the Early Twentieth Century (Lena Lennerhed); (5) The Growing Pains of Sex Education in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), 1945-1969 (Mark Fenemore); (6) Purity and Pedagogy: The Alliance-Scottish Council and School Sex Education in Scotland, 1955-1967 (Roger Davidson); and (7) Carnal Knowledge: The Social Politics and Experience of Sex Education in Italy, 1940-1980 (Bruno Wanrooij). Part III, Sex Education and the Representation of Gendered and Sexed Bodies, contains: (8) Representations of Pregnancy and Childbirth in (West)German Sex Education Books, 1900s-1970s (Lutz D.H. Sauerteig); (9) Purity Redefined: Catholic Attitudes towards Children's Sex Education in Austria, 1920-1936 (Britta McEwen); (10) The Partial

Picture: Framing the Discourse of Sex in British Educative Films of the Early 1930s (Barbara Crowther); and (11) Helga (1967): West German Sex Education and the Cinema in the 1960s (Uta Schwarz). Part IV, Mapping the Sexual Knowledge and Ignorance of the Young, contains: (12) The Social Politics and Experience of Sex Education in Early Twentieth Century Poland (1905-1939) (Magda Gawin); and (13) The Experience of Sex Education in the Netherlands and Flanders in Childhood Memories from the First Half of the Twentieth Century (Hugo Roling). Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Hide Full Abstract 1..Barth, R., Fetro, J., Leland, N. and Volkan, K. (1992) Preventing adolescent pregnancy with social and cognitive skills. Journal of Adolescent Research, 7, 208232. A 15-session sex education program was delivered by teachers to 586 10th graders using techniques based on social learning theory, including modeling, in-class and out-of-class practice of skills for abstaining from sexual intercourse, and for contraception. Knowledge about reproduction and birth control, intentions to use skills to avoid pregnancy, and communication with parents about pregnancy prevention were signifcantly greater at posttest and 6-month follow-up for the trained group than for the control group. Members of the trained group tended to use birth control more often, especially those who started to have sexual intercourse subsequent to the program. No differences in the frequency of sexual intercourse, pregnancy scares, or pregnancies were found Satisfaction with the program was high Although skill training by itself may not be sufficient to significantly prevent pregnancies, this program offers promise of being a useful component of combined school, home, and community activities to prevent pregnancy.

Reducing the Risk: Impact of a New Curriculum on Sexual RiskTakingKirby, D., Barth, R., Leland, N. and Fetro, J. (1991) Reducing the risk: impact of a new curriculum on sexual risk-taking. Family Planning Perspectives, 23, 253263.*

Douglas Kirby, Richard P. Barth, Nancy Leland and Joyce V. Fetro Family Planning Perspectives Vol. 23, No. 6 (Nov. - Dec., 1991), pp. 253-263 Published by: Guttmacher Institute Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2135776 Previous Item Next Item

End of preview. Get access to this entire item. Family Planning Perspectives 1991 Guttmacher Institute Abstract:

Reducing the Risk is a new sexuality education curriculum, based on social learning theory, social inoculation theory and cognitive-behavioral theory and employing explicit norms against unprotected sexual intercourse. In a quasi-experimental evaluation, this curriculum was implemented at 13 California high schools; 758 high school students assigned to treatment and control groups were surveyed before their exposure to the curriculum, immediately afterwards, six months later, and 18 months later. Among all participants, the program significantly increased participants' knowledge and parent-child communication about abstinence and contraception. Among students who had not initiated intercourse prior to the pretest, the curriculum significantly reduced the likelihood that they would have had intercourse by 18 months later. Reducing the Risk did not significantly affect frequency of sexual intercourse or use of birth control among sexually experienced students. Among all lower risk youths and among all students who had not initiated intercourse prior to their exposure to the curriculum, the curriculum appears to have significantly reduced unprotected intercourse, either by delaying the onset of intercourse or by increasing the use of contraceptives. Among the students not sexually active before participation in the program, effects seem to have extended across a variety of subgroups, including both whites and Latinos and lower risk and higher risk youths, but were particularly strong among lower risk youths and females.

An Evaluation of an Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program: Is "Just Say No" Enough?

F. Scott Christopher and Mark W. Roosa Family Relations Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan., 1990), pp. 68-72 Published by: National Council on Family Relations Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/584951 Previous Item Next Item

Abstract: The current study evaluates the impact of an abstinence promotion program that targeted middle school-age children. After being exposed to six program sessions that focused on self-esteem, communication skills, peer pressure, and teaching the value that sex should be confined to marriage, the only change shown by the 191 participants but not the 129 controls is an increase in precoital sexual activity. The implications for family life education are discussed.

Journal of Adolescent Health Volume 26, Issue 4 , Pages 295-302, April 2000

The association between adolescent spirituality and voluntary sexual activity

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David W Holder, M.D. (M.P.H.) Robert H DuRant, Ph.D. ,

Treniece L Harris, Ph.D. ,

Jessica Henderson Daniel, Ph.D. ,

Dawn Obeidallah, Ph.D. ,

Elizabeth Goodman, M.D.

Abstract
Results: Sixty-one percent of respondents were African-American and 67.4%, female; mean age was 16.0 2.4 years. Adolescent religious attendance was equally distributed across the categories from none to weekly or greater attendance. Over 90% felt religion was somewhat important in their lives. Over 85% reported belief in God. Fiftysix percent of respondents reported a history of VSA. Greater importance of religion (p = 0.035) and higher spiritual interconnectedness with friends (p = 0.033) were inversely associated with VSA. A multiple logistic regression model including age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and specific denomination of religious faith, importance of religion, and spiritual interconnectedness found that spiritual interconnectedness with friends (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85, 0.99) and age (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.34, 2.28) were independent predictors of VSA. Conclusions: Spirituality is a common facet of adolescents lives. Younger age and higher spiritual interconnectedness, particularly interconnectedness among spiritual friends, are independently associated with a lower likelihood of VSA.

Review of Sex, Relationships and HIV Education in Schools Review of Sex, Relationships and HIV Education in Schools

Prepared for the fi rst meeting of UNESCOs Global Advisory Group meeting 13-14 December 2007
There is overwhelming evidence to demonstrate that sex, relationships and HIV education programmes can increase knowledge and affect values and attitudes. Some programmes have been successful at reducing the risk of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There continues to be a debate about the focus of sex, relationships and HIV education and whether the focus should be fi rmly upon what can be measured in strictly behavioural terms, or whether it should be expanded to become a more all-embracing refl ection of life as it is lived beyond the school gates. Clearly each approach will have implications for its design, implementation and evaluation. September 2008 9

2. Introduction
There are more than one billion young people2 in the world today. They represent 20% of the global population the vast majority of whom will become sexually active adults. Far too few young people will receive anything approaching adequate preparation for adult sexual health and well-being. The catalogue of potential negative consequences of unprotected penetrative sex is long and frequently repeated: unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, STIs including HIV, and sexual abuse and violence. The potential positive consequences, such as mutually rewarding relationships between consenting adults, are seldom, if ever, mentioned. Indeed, our knowledge of the positive elements of sexual choice and fulfi lment implied in the right of all persons to pursue a satisfying, safe and pleasurable sexual life is considerably less than our appreciation of the negative consequences of sexual activity, despite the fact that sexual enjoyment can be healthpromoting.3

Evidence-based Sex and Relationships Education

Experts suggest that a good curriculum for sex and relationships education covers three areas: facts and information, relationship and interpersonal skills and values.23 Others add that it should also address perceptions of peer norms, attitudes and intentions.24 While some programmes continue to focus on human biology, reproduction,

hygiene and marriage, others have expanded to include information on physical and emotional development and STIs and HIV and AIDS. More broad-based curricula also cover contraception, abortion and sexual abuse.

8. Conclusions
Too few young people reach their adult sexual life with anything approaching adequate preparation. As a result, too many young people experience the consequence in terms of unintended pregnancy and STIs, including HIV. It is perhaps inevitable that a review as ambitious as this should raise questions and identify gaps rather than provide defi nitive answers. While the volume of documentation of some programmes in subSaharan is to be welcomed, a clear gap exists in relation to the lack of material from Asia and South America and the Caribbean. Rather than repeating the content of the Executive Summary, it seems apposite at this point to fl ag some key questions for future consideration: September 2008 35

Appendix 4 Suggestions for UNESCO from Key Informants

Push for investigation of innovative and effective approaches e.g. linking schools and health services. Develope a database of curricula content what should be taught and what is being taught. Promote the link between condoms and pregnancy avoidance and in general put reproductive health back on the agenda. Place more emphasis on challenging harmful gender roles and stereotypes. Promote delaying rather than abstaining from sex. Provide opportunities for exchange of experience among practitioners and researchers. Support long-term development of local competence, avoiding as far as possible the use of external technical support agencies. Emphasise skills in the context of relationships. Organise high-level meetings to share experiences in creating educators and gaining acceptance for sex education at community level. Build capacity to do local research into problem identifi cation and generation of locally relevant solutions. Identify best practice. Invest in institutions rather than individuals. Promote programmes that incorporate the seventeen characteristics of effective sex education programmes. Explore issue of how to adapt programmes to different settings without diluting impact. Explore what it takes to train teachers to be able to deliver sex education properly so they are comfortable with content and methods. Investigate how to get Ministries of Education and Health to support the roll-out of effective programmes. Clarify the division of labour among the different UN agencies. Support research and evaluation. Support professionalisation of sex education as a recognisable (and examinable) subject and support development of a career path for teachers in this area.

 Collect evidence about what young people say they want from sex education. Commission work on the use and abuse of religious texts as they relate to sex education. Advocate for infrastructure support. Gather and disseminate research fi ndings. Arrange a policy-oriented sex education forum. Investigate the cost aspect of sex education. UNESCO has the potential to promote the implementation of effective programmes, such as life skills interventions that clearly address sexual risk reduction.