Outrage as bishop brands sex education ‘abusive’

Grech added that teaching students about contraception encourages them to give in to the “culture of pleasure”.

The bishop’s remarks come at a time when the influence of the Catholic Church on comprehensive sexual health promotion in schools is well-known.

Only last year, a report penned noted the "strong negative influence of the Catholic Church", which it says was a constant theme raised by Maltese health professionals and politicians.

Penned by John Richens, WHO advisor and clinical specialist in sexually transmitted infections and HIV at the University College London, the report also pointed out how Malta is burying its head in the sand on sexual health and a strategy in this regard “was a matter of urgency.”

The report pointed out that STI prevention and control appeared to be low on the political agenda, with no published national strategy, no defined budget, and a small response team.

Only in the past couple of weeks has sexual health policy gotten a green light to go ahead with an allocation of €200,000 – a full one year after it was inexplicably dropped from last year’s budget. The health ministry also committed itself to releasing the policy for public consumption by mid-November, albeit after of promising it would be realised “within weeks”.

This is the first indication after three drafts were prepared in the past since 1999 that the government has shown willingness by putting money where its mouth is. The funding allocation was welcomed as better later than never.

Head of the GU Clinic Philip Carabottslammed the bishop’s statements, responding to the Bishop’s charge that sexual education could be abuse by emphasising that “our aim is to prevent abuse, and not perpetuate it.”

He pointed out that Malta has among the highest teenage pregnancies in the European Union. “We’re trying to fight sexually transmitted disease, teenage pregnancy, and the phenomenon of single mothers,” Carabot stated. “If the Bishop thinks this (sexual health) education is ‘tantamount to abuse’, then good luck to him.”

Carabotturged the Bishop to “join the debate” with practical, concrete proposals that not vague and “airy-fairy” like abstinence. “I have absolutely no time for remarks or comments that simply seek to attack and destroy,” he said.

Carabott also pointed out that “it is extremely rich that the church chooses to talk about abuse.”

“These statements have repercussions of their own,” Carabot said, pointing out how while authorities and others involved in health awareness are trying to do something “concrete” to address a worrying situation, “there are those who simply try to go to any lengths to maintain the status quo.”

The statement came under heavy fire almost immediately, as online comments boards and social network websites hit out at the Bishop’s statements, labelling them insensitive, out of touch, or repressive.