Free sex advice clinic has no takers as shy Chinese youths go online

NEW DELHI - Clinics offering free sex education and advice may soon fade out, as shy Chinese youngsters are turning to the Internet for all their queries.

A free clinic, which has operated in Shanghai for five years, was closed this week because it was not attracting enough visitors, reports the China Daily.

The clinic, which operated under the Shanghai International Peace Maternal and Child Health Hospital, was set up to provide free sex advice and free condoms to young people aged from 15 to 24.

Youngsters said it was embarrassing to consult strangers at a professional institute even though they needed information on sex. They would rather turn to the Internet for help, they said.

“The number of visitors was far below our expectations,” said Cen Shuyuan, an official at Shanghai Institute of Family Planning Technical Instruction, the department in charge of the clinic.

“On average, we received two or three calls each day. Only tens of teenagers, most of whom are about 18, have come to the hospital for advice over the past five years, though we arranged to open after school hours to make it easier for students,” he said.
hou Bingqin, a 20-year-old university student, said, “If I have any sex problems, I definitely would not go to clinics for help, as it’s embarrassing and unnecessary to talk about sex with strangers face to face.”

“I think searching the Internet is much better, as it’s convenient, informative and most importantly, private,” she added.

According to a survey conducted by Shanghai Academy of Educational Sciences, 32.4 percent of vocational high school students have had sex and 46.3 percent have never received any sex education.

“We Chinese tend to feel uneasy talking about sex because of our cultural background. So it’s understandable that young people are not willing to go to the clinic for help,” said Huang Hongji, director of Shanghai Youth Research Center. (ANI)