As early as 1975, efforts had begun to include compulsory sex education in the school curriculum. But Italy, along with Cyprus, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Lithuania, remain the last EU countries not yet to do so. It is currently at the discretion of Italian regions whether to include sex education seminars in schools.

Answers on the internet

“Children and adolescents are increasingly looking for answers on the Internet, more than 80%,” says Antonio Pelai, child and adolescent psychotherapist and researcher at the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Milan. Since on the internet, in addition to misinformation and half-truths about sex and sexually transmitted diseases, there is also the danger of pornography, especially for boys. The expert warns that “online depictions of sex largely include elements of violence or even racism and pedophilia. This fact complicates the issue of sexual education of young people”.

In Italy, as in the rest of Europe, there is an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. The number of chlamydia infections in particular, but also syphilis, is increasing. For psychotherapist Maria Cristina Florini, president of the Italian Center for Sexology, the emphasis should not only be on information about sex and health but also on the exchange of opinions. “Sex education should be taught throughout the school year. Because teachers know the students well, they can adjust their approach accordingly.”

For the open treatment of such issues, the discussion in a less formal context is important, notes the sexologist. For this purpose, however, the appropriate training of teachers becomes necessary. In this way, students will gradually learn to assume the responsibilities assigned to them in the matter of sexual health.

Sex education should be made compulsory

The Center for Sexology and many other organizations have repeatedly tried to raise awareness among the government. Pelai, for his part, points out that Italy must urgently address the issue of sex education, taking into account the digital dimension of the issue.

The last attempt – out of a total of 16 since 1975 – to force schools to provide sex education nationally was made by Stefania Askari of the Five Star Movement in 2021, with a legislative initiative that also failed. Now the current Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara, a member of the right-wing ethno-populist party League of the North, has taken up the issue. He is against “gender propaganda” and in favor of a strong role for parents in raising children.

Since last October, the League has been co-governing with the far-right “Brothers of Italy” and the conservative Forza Italia party. Under the far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, the main agenda is to increase the number of births and promote the traditional family, with the Christian concept. That is why Pelay estimates that, at least for the next five years, the government’s attitude towards this educational challenge is not going to change.

Some politicians are in favor of change

Nevertheless, there are politicians who continue to support compulsory sex education. Together with two other members of the city council of Rome, Andrea Giorgini started last year to promote this request. Left Alliance councilor Eva Vitoria Camerino is also participating in the initiative, which is to be expanded to the regional level. She emphasizes that “with its undeniable presence, the church brings back a patriarchal perspective, in which women have a subordinate role”. The insufficient sex education of children and adolescents in Italy, he said, primarily favors discrimination, sexism and homophobia, but also violence against women.

Although studies provide only partial evidence that sex education in schools leads to reductions in sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, the science agrees on this: sex education not only promotes healthy sexual behavior in young people, but also significantly enhances knowledge them about sex and health.