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Some major changes have occurred in Chinese young people's ideas about dating and marriage over the past several years, according to a report released by the China Youth and Children Research Center.
Statistics indicate that adolescence comes earlier and so does sexual maturity, both psychologically and physiologically. As a result, today's youth experience their first love earlier.
Yet, they marry later.
The increasing extension of the time between first love and marriage is described as the major reason for premarital cohabitation and sex.
The survey of more than 400 young people in Beijing found that nearly 50 percent of them have had premarital sex, and more than half of those surveyed consider premarital sex normal and acceptable as long as the relationship is based on mutual willingness and sincere attraction.
Three decades ago, premarital sex or cohabitation was considered a decadent lifestyle or a sin with the risk of being publicly criticized and labeled a bad element. These changes indicate that our society has become increasingly tolerant in sexual matters.
But that does not mean there is a tendency towards promiscuity among young people. Instead, they care more about true love than about the formality of marriage.
Under such circumstances, proper sex education at the proper time is important. Young people need to be well prepared so that they can embrace love in a healthy psychological way and know how to protect themselves from being harmed both physically and psychologically in failed love.
The fact that a female university student spent a year writing a sex education book that is to be published is a wake-up call that good sex education books are urgently needed to meet the needs that changes in early adolescence have brought about.
Lack of proper and adequate sex education is also to blame for premarital pregnancy and crimes resulting from failed love affairs. Some young people indulge in pornography when their sexual curiosity cannot be satisfied through normal channels. This can result in their doing poorly in school and in developing an unhealthy attitude towards sex.
More care and attention from both schools and parents are necessary for youngsters to successfully get through puberty and develop healthy attitude towards sex and love.
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