Sexuality
Sexuality
Sexuality is a part of everyday life and well-being. Sexuality is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, behaviors, practices, roles and relationships either alone or with a partner. Sexuality is a global humane feature, but how it is understood and expressed is culture-bound.
Sexual acts always require consent from both partners. Sexual acts mean sexual proposals or harassment, sexual touching, and intercourse. Consent is required also in a partnership and marriage. Forcing someone to have sex against her or his will is always a crime.
You can read more about sexuality
In Finnish
https://www.nuortennetti.fi/seksuaalisuus/kypsyva-seksuaalisuus/
In English
Sexual rights (WHO 2018)
Sexual rights protect all people’s rights to fulfil and express their sexuality and enjoy sexual health, with due regard for the rights of others and within a framework of protection against discrimination
- the rights to equality and non-discrimination
- the right to privacy
- the rights to the highest attainable standard of health (including sexual health) and social security
- the right to marry and to found a family and enter into marriage with the free and full consent of the intending spouses, and to equality in and at the dissolution of marriage
- the right to decide the number and spacing of one’s children
- the rights to information, as well as education
- the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, and
- the right to an effective remedy for violations of fundamental rights
You can read more about sexual rights
In Finnish
https://www.vaestoliitto.fi/nuoret/seksi/seksuaalioikeudet/
In English (also French, Spain, Russian)
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/sexual_health/sh_definitions/en/
Age of sexual consent
Age of majority in Finland is 18. At this age, a person attends rights and responsibilities of adulthood. It means a person has full capacity to act or engage in any kind of legal action and is liable for his/her own actions. However, some laws concern certain age groups, both under and over 18.
Several laws concerning sexual acts protect minors, meaning people under the age of 18. Age of sexual consent is 16, like in many other countries.
There are several laws to protect minors (under 18-years-old) on sexual issues. Age of sexual consent is 16 in Finland, as in many other countries as well. This means, that a person who is significantly older than 16 should not have a sexual relationship with a person under 16 years of age.
Sexual acts mean sexual harassment, sexual touching, and intercourse. Under 16 years olds are still in the process of developing both physically and cognitively, so they need special protection in sexual issues.
Same laws apply to the Internet. A person over 18 is not allowed to approach minors with sexual intentions. Taking, forwarding and possessing pictures of minors in sexual contexts is illegal.
Young people can have relationships, also sexual relationships, with each other when their age and development are approximately on the same level. Both partners must be willing to participate in sexual acts and there must not be any pressure, threat, forcing or exploitation.
Consent age of 18 is also for protecting young people from exploitation. This means, that adults living or working with minors are not allowed to have sexual relationships with them. This concerns for example family members, teachers, instructors, and coaches.
You can read more about the age of sexual consent
In Finnish:
https://www.vaestoliitto.fi/nuoret/turvallisuus/seksuaalirikokset/suojaikaraja/
https://www.nuortennetti.fi/seksuaalisuus/seksuaalinen-hairinta-ja-hyvaksikaytto/
In English:
https://www.unicef.org/protection/files/Terminology_guidelines_396922-E.pdf
https://www.unicef.org/rightsite/433_457.htm#to_have_sex
Contraception
Contraception means preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) in sexual intercourse. Contraception is part of family planning. The aim of family planning is universal access to effective contraception, ensuring that all adults and adolescents can avoid the adverse health and socioeconomic consequences of unintended pregnancy and have a satisfying sexual life.
Contraceptives are free for young people (under 25) in many areas in Finland. You can ask a nurse or a doctor about contraception and discuss which contraception method suits you best. Many health centers have family planning clinics to guide with contraception and family planning.
You can buy condoms in most shops and in pharmacies. Other contraceptives require
- pill
- condoms
- contraceptive implant
- contraceptive injection
- contraceptive patch
- diaphragms
- intrauterine device (IUD)and intrauterine system (IUS)
- vaginal ring
- permanent method of contraception is sterilization (male or female)
Condoms are the only form of contraception that helps to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy.
Abortion is not a contraception method. You can get an abortion on social and health grounds by seeing a nurse and a doctor.
You can read more about contraception
in Finnish
https://www.vaestoliitto.fi/nuoret/ehkaisy/ehkaisymenetelmat/
http://www.terveyskirjasto.fi/terveyskirjasto/tk.koti?p_artikkeli=dlk00165
in English
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/what-is-contraception/
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Sexually transmitted infections are passed on from one person to another through unprotected sex or genital contact. Infections are caused by virus or bacteria.
If you’re worried you have got an STI, go to see a nurse or a doctor as soon as you can. Testing for STIs is free. The results are confidential, they are not shared with anyone else. It is always good to take the tests before having sex with a new partner.
Diagnosing and treating STIs is very important. For a person with an STI getting treatment is important to alleviate the symptoms and stop the progress of the infection. Untreated STI may cause other health problems and infertility. Treating STIs is important for the society so STIs won’t spread
Common sexually transmitted infections:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Trichomoniasis
- Genital warts
- Genital herpes
- Syphilis
- B & C Hepatitis
- HIV
Common symptoms of STI’s (NHS 2018)
- unusual discharge from the vagina, penis or anus
- pain when peeing
- lumps or skin growths around the genitals or anus
- a rash
- unusual vaginal bleeding
- itchy genitals or anus
- blisters and sores around the genitals or anus
You can read more about sexual health and sexually transmitted infections here:
In Finnish:
https://thl.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/kampanjat/kesaterveys/kayta-kondomia-valta-seksitauti
http://www.vaestoliitto.fi/nuoret/ehkaisy/seksitaudit/
In English:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis/
Sexuality education
For the safety of the child and young people, it is important to have correct information about sexuality. Information supports child’s growth and development, and their health. There is a lot of information on the Internet, with its easy access, but there is a lot of misleading and wrong information as well. Some of the material may also be scary. For these reasons, Finnish school and health care system offers correct information for the children in a safe environment.
Age appropriate sexuality education in Finland is taught at daycare, schools and in student health care included in the health check-ups. School health nurses give a lesson about sexuality before the beginning of puberty.
Sexuality education may come as a surprise for many parents. It might feel like a too open discussion, but the purpose is to teach the child to respect and protect themselves by getting to know their body and getting correct information about sexuality.
You can read more about sexuality education
In Finnish:
https://thl.fi/fi/web/lapset-nuoret-ja-perheet/tyon_tueksi/seksuaalikasvatus
In English:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001832/183281e.pdf
http://www.vaestoliitto.fi/@Bin/1351199/Sex+Education+2010.pdf
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