Misogynistic sex education in South Korea is making students have distorted view on sex

For recent years, “digital sex crimes”, a series of crimes committed by using digital devices, have become pervasive. Among many cases, one of the worst crimes were the so-called “Nth room case”, that shocked Koreans by the end of March, 2020.

It’s a series of sex crimes that dozens of men threatened women — mostly teenage girls — to sexually enslave them. The offenders coerced survivors into having sex with them, distributing photos of their naked bodies on Telegram chatting rooms in return for Monero, a cryptocurrency that ensures anonymity of traders.

Citizens were incensed by the disgusting crimes, calling for the harsh punishment on all men, who’ve been on the Nth room. Police were quick to launch the investigation, arresting some men who operated chatting rooms, revealing their profiles. One of sex crime offenders, engaged in the Nth room crimes, said that he had distorted view on sex.

Alas, he is not alone in committing sex crimes, having a twisted view on sex. With sexism, outdated sex education is a culprit of wrong perceptions about sex.

Sex education in South Korea is notoriously sexist. Most schools in South Korea show a video during sex education. The video, created decades ago, just warns women against sex crimes: Woman has to protect herself to avoid sex crime; Woman must say “No” to a sex crime offender when she risks being sexually assaulted; Woman has to refrain from wearing shorts in front of men, as such clothes would prompt her to be subjected to sex crimes. While the video says girls have to prevent themselves from sexually assaulted for their virginity, it teaches boys to exercise to manage their compulsive sexual behavior.

In 2015, the Ministry of Education introduced “Sex Education Guideline”, recommending schools to provide sex education to students for 15 hours per year. Most schools, however, offer sex education less than 3 times a year, downplaying the importance of sex education. Moreover, sex education guideline from the Ministry of Education is chauvinistic. It just suggests that women are blamed for most kinds of sex crimes. Textbooks also need to be revised. Like a decades-old sex education video, most textbooks just state that victims’ behavior can cause sex crimes. Few books warn against the so-called “digital sex-crimes”, sex crimes committed by using digital devices that have started to be thriving several years ago.

With misogynistic sex education at schools, adults’ attitudes towards teenagers’ sex education have much to do with students’ improper view on sex. A group of parents urged schools to avoid teaching how to use contraceptives to middle school students. Parents claimed that more teenagers will have sex if they learn how to use contraception. Most parents are reluctant to talk about sex with their children, suggesting that all people have to hide their sexual desire. Combined with old-fashioned sex education and adults’ attitudes, some students have a mistaken perceptions about sex.

A distorted view on sex have led sex crimes committed by teenagers to rise. Teachers and legal guardians of young criminals are largely to blame. Few seriously take sex crimes at school. Many teachers dismiss the crime as an argument between their pupils. More frustratingly, some schools silence survivors, fretting that a sex crime would tarnish the reputation of their schools.

Parents of young sex crime offenders also unashamedly defend their children: Some deny the crimes committed by their children; others claim that the crime is just a minor mistake that underage people can make. Many parents and teachers absurdly defend the young sex crime offenders, claiming that all boys have sexual impulse, which is natural, instead of punishing young criminals.

Such attitudes make more teenagers presume they can get away with their sex crimes. And, many of them have sexist view towards sex, prompting the rise of sex crimes. To tackle the heinous crimes, a proper sex education, and harsh punishment on sex crimes, are urgently needed. Fundamentally, schools have to ditch misogynistic sex education to help their pupils have morally right views on sex.