Total
Sample Size: 101
No. of girls filling in questionnaires only: 37
No. of girls attending workshops and filling in questionnaires: 64
No. of girls saying their parents never talked about sex/sexuality: 56.4%
| Types of Information Sources |
Percentage accessing information from |
Percentage preferring information from |
Books/magazines |
46.5% |
20.8% |
Mass media |
34.7% |
6.9% |
Peer group |
71.3% |
7.9% |
Parents |
1.9% |
22.8% |
Mother only |
22.8% |
7.9% |
Family members |
6.9% |
NA |
Sister /Cousin |
5.9% |
3.9% |
College/School |
28.7% |
28.7% |
The information given here clearly states that perhaps young people would like more communication from their parents and schools than other external sources.The category of friends/peers has always been a primary source of information about sexuality, but has been debunked as a legitimate and accurate source. Friends are equally in the dark and perhaps spawn more myths and misinformation, because very few of them actually have legitimate sources of communication which they can trust. It is also significant that this sample would have liked information from 'parents' rather than mothers alone, which perhaps makes a case for both parents to be equally involved in the process. Gender stereotypes and larger social expectations of men and women's roles are reinforced when only mothers talk about menstruation, or marriage, or sex. Adolescents sense the discomfort of the other parent, and also begin to hide such issues from them, further stalling communication between the sexes.
IFSHA has also conducted an awareness and research project in three Delhi schools with 12-14 year old boys and girls on self-esteem, sexuality, and puberty. Here is some information from evaluation questionnaires filled in by girls from one of the schools:
Total Sample Size: 89
1.
Would you like this workshop information to be a part of your standard curriculum?
Yes: 78.7 % |
No: 3.4 % |
No reply: 15. 8 % |
Don't Know: 2.1 % |
2. Should similar workshops be held with other people? If so, who?
|
Groups |
Yes |
No |
No Response* |
Parents |
47.19% |
12.36% |
40.45% |
Teachers |
42.7% |
6.74% |
50.56% |
School Counselors |
31.46% |
10.11% |
58.43% |
Principal |
22.47% |
13.48% |
64.04% |
Boys |
47.19% |
14.61% |
38.20% |
*According to our analysis and interactions with the group, the high percentages under the "no response" category are possibly indicative of their reluctance to say that authority figures such as principals, school counselors and parents require this kind of training and inputs.