Guest Post: Malta’s Pandemic Of Unsafe Sex

Sex. Everybody’s having it, but do we know enough about it to be safe and well informed? 

As soon as we’re old enough to read and comprehend the world around us, we are exposed to sex whether it’s in magazines, the news, television, or that new song that just came out.

Yet as a predominantly Catholic country, sex is taboo and unwanted pregnancy is often the boogeyman used to scare youngsters from engaging with the topic.

Due to this, it should be no surprise that the Maltese state leans on an abstinence-based education, even though as soon as you go outside the school walls, you are again exposed by it.

The local educational systems that are tasked with explaining the topic, often do not do so in the detail the topic requires, with the syllabus being modified such that to topics deemed relevant to the gender it’s being taught to, and aspects deemed “irrelevant” are left out.

Since the guidelines provided by the government are strictly a suggested framework, the educator tasked with delivering the syllabus is granted full discretion, hence the subject matters delivered are left to the discretion of the teacher and/or the school.

Due to this, it is up to the educator to make the syllabus inclusive for the students, however as this is entirely voluntary, the education delivered is often catered towards cisgender heteronormative students.

The framework generally outlines a list of learning outcomes that should be achieved by such an education, as well as suggestions for the educators on how to approach such a sensitive topic, yet the guidelines leave room for interpretation and make no clear indications as to what should be taught.

For example one of the listed aims is to “acquire the necessary information about different types of contraception”, however, there is no guideline stating what contraceptives are defined as necessary, and most of the time, the primary focus of such education is condoms, with few other contraceptives being focused on.

Shockingly, yet unsurprisingly, statistics extracted from various studies including a study titled “Sexual Behaviour Trends among Young People in Malta” compiled by Professor Joanne Cassar from the University of Malta indicate that individuals as young as 15 are reported to be sexually active, with only 41% of individuals in the related studies having indicated using a condom.

This statistic comes as no surprise considering that Malta has some of the highest teen pregnancy statistics in Southern Europe and one of the highest STI rates in Europe.

The system here makes me ask a lot of questions. Contraceptives are not only important as a form of birth control but are also crucial in preventing new STI infections.

Yet why is it that contraceptives are not more widely available? Why is it that contraceptives apart from the condom, such as the Morning After Pill, are not emphasised? Why is it that if you fall outside the heteronormativity spectrum, you must learn about sex from Netflix and the internet instead of a personal social development instructor?

Even when informed about our options, we still face barriers towards getting the things we need to stay safe. To obtain contraceptives, you often must go to either a pharmacy or a store, yet this is often accompanied with shame and embarrassment.

Many can attest to going to buy lubrication and other related products, only to ask the pharmacist in an almost non-existent voice.

Many women have had the need to obtain the Morning After Pill, yet the pill cannot be ordered online and the process often involves answering a series of questions (which are not mandatory) and presenting your ID card (also not mandatory), with the process being completely arbitrary to the pharmacist dispensing the pill.

Due to this unstandardised procedure, women who are under 16, women who are not able to be physically present at the pharmacy, and women who are undocumented are often unable to obtain this medication that would help prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

Those who are considered the most vulnerable are often left unable to obtain medication that would prevent a financially and emotionally demanding pregnancy.

The stigma surrounding sex is very real and something that needs to be dismantled before we can start tackling sex-related issues. It is only once we can break the stigma, only then can we start tackling the serious issues.