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Start-up of Peer Sexual Education in Korea Minje Jeon, Tiya Kim, KMSA - Korea
kmsa-korea@ifmsa.org
93 94
On December 20th, Korean SCORAngels held KMSA Korea’s first ever peer sexual education called “Bon Saek,” which means one’s true color and also one’s true lust. Korea has not been open to public conversation on sexual issues because of its conservative social atmosphere. The main theme of Korea’s public sexual education has usually centered on the biological aspect of fertilization, rather than practical advices on sexual activities. To compensate these shortcomings, Bon-Saek aimed to provide useful tips for dealing with everyday sexual issues, and a safe place to exchange frank thoughts about sex. It was open to all university students who voluntarily registered online. The participants spent the most of the time discussing sexual issues with each other, along with practicing using condoms as briefly instructed by SCORA members. All of the Bon-Saek staff attended weekly on- and off-line group studies for three and a half months, taking turns instructing the rest of the members. Bon-Saek had six topics: (1) basic anatomy of genital organs and related physiology, (2) opinions about Korean public sexual education, (3) methods of contraception and safe sex, (4) common physical and psychological concerns about individual sexual issues, (5) social perception of sexual and gender issues, and (6) how to have healthy sex-talks with significant others.
away from it. They enjoyed open discussion with their partners on sexual matters. Couples were not the only ones who appreciated Bon-Saek; one 20-year-old participant was quite impressed, for it was his first time ever to say out loud the phrase “having sex.” For quite a few female participants, it was their first-ever encounter with condoms. Everyone in the room was greatly satisfied with comfortable atmosphere to honestly talk about and conceptualize their own perspectives towards sexual issues. Bon-Saek was important in two ways; it was the first peer sexual education organized by SCORA-Korea and it provided practical sexual education for the young. SCORAngels are planning to make it a biannual event in Korea, hoping to provide a trigger for more practical sexual education in Korean society. We believe this will be the most suitable beginning step that students can initiate, in order to solve bigger social problems like sexually transmitted diseases, gender-based violence, unsafe abortion, and hardships faced by single mothers.
Many of the participants were couples searching for better ways of sexual communication, instead of shying
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