A RESEARCHER believes that boredom and early exposure to pornography via electronic devices are to blame for teenagers experimenting with sexual activity at a young age.

While students in urban areas were found to be involved in more after-school activities, teenagers in rural areas were lacking in such infrastructure and opportunities, said Universiti Malaya’s Education Faculty lecturer Noor Aishah Rosli.

“Life in the city holds excitement, whereas in rural areas, it’s limited. In the city, you can go out to watch a movie, there are gadgets, or go out for a meal with friends.

“It’s different in villages; these things are limited and they will experiment with sexual activity when they befriend members of the opposite sex,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

Noor Aishah was commenting on the results of a Public Health Institute survey that found that 7.3% of secondary school students had engaged in sexual activity at least once.

The survey was conducted over two months in 2017, and involved 27,497 students from 212 schools nationwide.

Pahang recorded the highest number of teens who have had sex, at 9.5%, while Kuala Lumpur students came in at the bottom of the list at 4.3%.

The study also found that the state with the highest number of sexually active teenagers was Selangor, at 5.4%.

As many as 16.6% teenagers were found to have had sexual relations with at least two partners, according to the report published in April.

It also found that as many as 31.9% of respondents attempted to have sex before the age of 14.

Form 1 students made up the highest number of students who have attempted to have sex (9.3%), followed by Form 4 (7.3%), Form 2 and Form 5 (6.9%), and Form 3 (6.1%).

Noor Aisyah cited curiosity and exposure to pornography as some of the reasons why teenagers were engaging in sexual activity.

“This feeling is natural, but the feeling becomes stronger when one sees (sexual acts).

“The supporting factor is exposure to electronic gadgets. There are many pornographic advertisements that arouse them into trying to have sex with their friends or partners,” she said.

The research also showed that safe sex practices among teenagers were at worrying low levels.

In 2012, 32.2% students used condoms while 43.7% used other contraceptive methods.

But last year, only 10.3% of respondents used any form of contraception.

The study also showed that Kelantan had the highest number of students that used contraception – 22.2% used condoms and 14.9% used other methods.

Students in Putrajaya were the least likely to use condoms at 3.2%, while students in Johor numbered the least in using other methods (8.1%).

Noor Aishah said it was crucial for parents to play a more active role in providing sex education to their children.

“Sex education starts at home. When children reach 11, parents need to start explaining it to them in stages, beginning with the sexual organs of men and women,” she said.

Sex education, she said, should also be taught in schools from the ages of 13. – August 25, 2018.