In their infinite wisdom, The Straits Times reached out to a clinical sexologist (a medical professional who knows a lot about sexy time) to offer a reason why “sexualised” activities at university orientation camps exist.
According to the sexologist (what a great title to have on a name card), the indecent games could be due to the “lack of comprehensive sexuality education that emphasises consent” as well as “overcompensation of their own ignorance and discomfort around sex”.
Turns out, Dr. Martha Tara Lee provided more than a single sentence to explain the possible reasons behind the youthful raunchiness. It’s pretty impossible to encapsulate in a quote or two why anyone would think up a game for freshmen to re-enact an incestuous rape scene, so Dr. Lee published her original, extensive clarification on her own accord. It’s all up on her website if you want to read the whole thing, but here are some rather juicy highlights in case of TL;DR.
On why these students are playing risqué games
- They might not have outgrown the childish sex jokes phase, and might lack the emotional and sexual maturity expected of them.
- They might be making “exaggerated shows of bravado” to compensate for their own ignorance and discomfort around the taboo, sensitive topic of sex.
- They could be establishing a rite of passage similar to fraternity pledge rituals in colleges overseas.
- They’ve been around conservative expectations about sex — society expects kids to wait until after marriage to have sex, thus sex holds their fascination.
“Sex can turn into something they obsess over, because they can’t have it (and have no sexuality education or honest matured dialogues around it).”
- Much like the infamous Stanford University prison experiment, the risqué games could be a result of “unexpected degeneration and breakdown of the established rules and morals dictating exactly how people should behave towards each other.”
- Student leaders could just be taking pleasure in having power, control and authority over freshmen. There exists sadomasochist undertones, in which student leaders who initiated the games “might be abusing their power and getting their own form of sexual gratification”.
On Singapore’s lack of comprehensive sexuality education
“Singapore had decided to have a “more abstinence-based sexuality education program” (whatever that means). Contrary to what a lot of people assume, comprehensive sexuality education is not just about how to have sex or safer sex. It is everything to do with how we are as sexual beings – from our body image, relationships, communication, consent, sensuality and sexuality as an individual.”
On her attempts to change things for the better
“For years, as the only certified sexologist and certified AASECT sexuality educator with a doctorate in human sexuality in Singapore, I have reached out to work with MOE without success. I’ve been in practice for 7 years and nothing seems to have changed when it comes to an abstinence-based approach in sexuality education in Singapore.”
On the long-term effects Singaporeans might have when misunderstanding sexual matters
“Our young would naturally be, and should rightly be, curious about sex and sexuality. Like money, it is not the root of all evil – but the lack of understanding. Let’s not make sex the enemy or victim here. Instead I would call it sexual ignorance due to the lack of sexuality education. When failed by a self-declared “Asian values” society where sexuality education in schools remains a contentious topic due to pressure from religious groups, I continue to work with clients whose long-term sexual problem might not even exist if they had some basic sex education to begin with. Many blame their parents for indirectly causing their sexuality and relationship issues.”
