New York Times Examines Surge In Teen Sexuality In Chile

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 17 Sep 2008 - 8:00 PST

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Some academics and government officials in Chile have reported an increasing level of sexuality among Chilean teenagers "like nothing the country has witnessed before," the New York Times reports. According to the Times, Chile, historically considered to have the "most traditional social mores in South America, is crashing headlong into that reputation with its precocious teenagers." The Times notes that divorce was not legalized until 2004 and abortion still is illegal.

Ramiro Molina, director of the University of Chile's Center for Adolescent Reproductive Medicine and Development, said that youth in Chile are "clearly having sex earlier and testing the borderlines with their sexual conduct." According to the Times, the "sexual awakening is happening through a booming industry for 18-and-under parties," adding that the increased use of social networking Web sites and explicit content on the Internet are contributing factors to the rise in sexuality and newfound freedom among Latin American adolescents. According to the Times, Web sites such as Fotolog -- a photo-sharing network created in the U.S. -- are the most popular among the youth in Chile. Nearly 60% of the Fotolong accounts in the country are held by 12- to 17-year-olds.

Miguel Arias -- a psychologist and head of the Santiago, Chile, consulting firm Divergente -- said that Chilean children ages 6 to 17 are the highest Internet users in the country and are "expressing their sexuality in erotic ways for the whole world to see." However, sex education in Chile is "badly lagging," the Times reports. Sex education materials in the country were destroyed after a 1973 military coup, and new sex education curriculum was not developed until 1993. About 47% of students in 2005 reported receiving sex education instruction only once or twice annually, if at all. Some educators said that they struggle to keep up with the increasing amount of sexual information on the Internet. Maria de la Luz Silva, head of the sexual education unit of the Education Ministry, said the Internet has caused a "tremendous cultural breach" that is hindering the reach of educators. Luz Silva said that the ministry will be implementing a new sex education program this year to better "protect" children (Barrionuevo, New York Times, 9/13).

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