MORE Malaysian youths are having sex at a younger age, according to a recent Durex survey.
The survey was conducted in April this year with more than 1,000 Malaysian youths between the ages of 18 and 30.
According to the data, 35% of Malaysian youths have had sexual intercourse compared to 18.8% in 2016.
The Durex Survey also found that a large majority of youth had their first sexual experience before the age of 22, and misconceptions about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy are still prevalent.
The Durex Survey provides information and illuminates other areas about the state of sexual education in Malaysia, which includes Malaysian youths’ sexual activity, perceptions versus reality, and sexual and reproductive health knowledge levels.
Other key findings of the survey revealed that most respondents were either unsure or believed that women cannot get pregnant during their period and 31% of respondents did not know that a woman could get pregnant the first time she engages in sex.
The poor levels of sexual health and education are in line with statistics from the Ministry of Health that recorded over 41,000 teenage pregnancies between 2017 to 2022.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun revealed in Parliament last December that on average more than 10,000 teens opted to get services at government health facilities. This translates to 830 teen pregnancies each month.
The Durex survey results were revealed at the launch of the #ComeTogether campaign, which aims to encourage more open conversations around sex.
A panel discussion was held in conjunction with the launch of the campaign, as well as a showcase of the various Durex products, a Q&A chatbot on sexual health and sexual education workshops which will be organised in September.
Siti Aishah, founder of SPOT Malaysia, commented, “we believe that non-profit organisations, civil society organisations, government bodies and brands alike need to work together in sustaining movements like these to highlight the importance of sexual and reproductive health education.
"We are pleased to be part of this campaign as it is in line with our advocacy work. We are working together to encourage a positive attitude towards sexual and reproductive health, as well as personal and social development.
"Sexual education in a culturally and developmentally appropriate manner is key to equipping young people with the knowledge to prevent STIs, sexual-related issues and unplanned pregnancies.” – The Vibes, August 10, 2022
