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Rutgers creates safe space for teens finding own voices
Comprehensive sex education in school was at the forefront of the organization’s five-year programs, all designed to help create a healthy society free from sexual and gender-based violence.
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Slow motion: Activists rally at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle in Jakarta to demand that the House of Representatives pass the sexual violence eradication bill, which has languished in the legislature. (Antara/Wahyu Putro)
S
chool counselor Anita Rakhmi made up her mind to focus only on the first graders the day she started working at SMP 22 state junior high school on the outskirts of Semarang, Central Java.
“Back in 2009, when I started working at the school, the dropout rate was surprisingly high. At least two students quit school each year, either because of pregnancy or being involved in juvenile delinquency,” she said.
“The students need counseling as soon as they reach adolescent age, before it’s too late,” added Anita in an interview session with other participants in her counseling fellowship.
The situation gradually improved after the school adopted the Setara tool kit of comprehensive sex education in 2017. Anita was appointed to lead the team of teachers promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights for students.
Her responsibility, mostly, is to break taboos surrounding the topic.
“Parents and teachers are inhibited when talking about issues related to sexuality and reproduction. Some parents at first filed protests but later understood that access to the correct information was key for their teenage children to empower themselves.”
“At the same time, the implementation of sexuality education makes students feel safe and comfortable talking and sharing their stories,” said Anita.
