"The message of safe sex can foster a false sense of security in youth and paradoxically lead to increased risky behaviors, such as having sex at an earlier age and having more sexual partners (a phenomenon known as "risk compensation.") This is one of the conclusions that emerges from the briefing document on "The policy of ‘Comprehensive Sexuality Education'" prepared by interdisciplinary experts from the Education of Human Affectivity and Sexuality (EHAS) project of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) at the University of Navarra.

According to the authors, the danger of this message is that "it transmits the misconception among young people that sex is completely risk free as long as they use condoms."

As they explain, these messages are mainly promoted by a group of influential and international organizations, global authorities and associations that create and finance policy guidelines all over the world to carry out their strategic priorities.

"Sometimes called 'best practices,' these priority interventions are presented as if they were neutral and objective, but their history is often questionable." Thus ICS specialists insist that "data based on studies and the most ideological issues should be distinguished and analyzed separately because every aspect justifies a different approach or strategy in the debate."

In this sense, those who contributed to the document assert that "some aspects of their documents are clearly questionable" and that "parents have the right to ask for democratic and legal assistance to protect their children from the potential harm of some messages…. Parents should be empowered to educate their children according to their own values," they pointed out.

Scientific backing: Consensus at a prestigious journal, The Lancet

Unlike the so called "integral" sexual programs that these institutions promote, EHAS experts place importance on "abstinence-centered" programs: "They are based on scientific studies, are effective, less patronizing to young adults and trust in their ability to make free and optimal decisions."

In addition, they stress that "these programs are the preferred choice of millions of parents, educators, researchers and youth around the world and can be appropriately defined as programs of a truly 'holistic' sexual education."

They point out that this assertion is supported by the consensus of the academic journal The Lancet: "It prioritizes messages that seek the delay of sexual activity in youth or a return to abstinence for those who have had casual sex. When one chooses to have sex, the consensus prioritizes the message of mutual monogamy. "

 Another of the findings from the document is that "sex education programs with public funding should be adapted to parents' values, who should be able to choose them freely or reject them for their children. This is how the resources that we all pay in to should be allocated in a democratic society. "

The authors of the informative document include Jokin de Irala, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and EASH principal investigator; Alfonso Osorio, professor in the School of Education and Psychology; Cristina López del Burgo and Silvia Carlos, professors in the School of Medicine; and Carlos Beltramo. All authors are members of the aforementioned ICS project.

Information of interest

• Consult the briefing document

• The Education of Human Affectivity and Sexuality Webpage