Sexuality still a taboo for locals

Sexuality remains a sensitive matter for Macau’s local residents, said a branch director of Sheng Kung Hui Social Services, in reference to data collected by the organization over the past two years.
The Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council provides assistance to socially disadvantaged groups. In  2014, it launched a 24-hour counseling hotline for  victims of sexual abuse.
Mr Yip, the director of Sheng Kung’s family service center, said that the hotline has been seldom used since its establishment.
However, Sheng Kung Hui’s family service branches handled at least 10 cases related to sexual abuse. Yip explained that sexuality remains a sensitive topic for many members of the public. As a result, a supportive environment in which to discuss the issues does not really exist.
“The victims might be very familiar with the abuser, which prompts [them] to feel ashamed of seeking help,” he concluded.
An earlier survey reported that only 10 percent of middle school students consider local sex education to be sufficient. Both parents and teachers reportedly avoid the topic.
Mr Chan, director of the Youth Services Organization of the Macau General Union of the Neighborhood Associations (known as “Kai Fong”), has proposed that sex education be present at various levels of formal school curriculums, starting with primary schools. This will provide students with a better understanding of sex, he says, and engender a more open and accepting society. Staff reporter