Research & methodology

Sexual Education Campaign: Research & Methodology

Creating Awareness Among Parents

Submitted by: Nehal Hesham

Supervised by: Dr. Heba El-Gaml

May 2010

Sexual Education Campaign: Research & Methodology Spring 2010

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Sample

The type of sample researchers are aiming to apply is one of the types in the non-

probability sampling, which constrains the researcher, and doesn’t provide a list of the

prospective audience; in other words researcher won’t know the probability that any element of a

population will be selected for study. Due to the fact that we know the prospective audience and

know the purpose behind the research, purposive sampling is an ideal match for the desired

population. Researchers will set quotas to ensure that the sample acquired represents certain

characteristics in proportion to their prevalence in the population.

Segmenting the Overall Population

When the term sexual health education is conveyed, the public shows frustration, due to

the fact that such an issue is considered to be a taboo in our culture. What our community

doesn’t recognize is that, the lack of information and improper information concerning the

addressed issue leads to a huge set of complications to all segments in our community. In this

situation we are dealing with the whole population within our community. Due to that fact we

have to capture a closer look at our population, so the source of the problem is defined. As

researchers, we figured out a concept which is getting to the roots of our audience and start from

the bottom, meaning we have to secure our upcoming adults and youth, so they won’t face the

same complications, the current generation is facing. We segmented our population to youth and

kids, but we as researchers faced an obstacle; which is that these segments don’t have full

authority and adequate knowledge on what they should and shouldn’t learn. Now we have to

shift our focus on who are the decision makers for these segments, and these are parents, if

proper sexual health education is implanted by parents in the values of our upcoming generations

we will be able to minimize the risk of the tackled problem.


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Target Audience

Based on the segmentation implemented researchers will segment the prospective target into

three segments, but within one major umbrella, which is the Parenthood sector. The three

segments will be:

1. Parents (raising kids at the mean time)

2. Potential parents (Whether they are newly wed, pregnant or working on getting a baby)

3. Media (setting their agenda)

Methodology

For an issue that is so controversial, we as researchers had to conduct a triangulation research,

which is mixing of a quantitative and qualitative to present an ongoing problem, researchers are

able to describe/measure/manipulate/understand a concept if its looked at from two different

perspectives. If the same conclusion is reached from both perspectives, researchers will be

confident about their conclusion.

Qualitative

Personal Interview (I) In order to understand the main focus of our issue and to be able to segment our

community, and start conducting our quantitative research we had to find the source of

the problem. Due to that we had to interview one of the leading figures in Egyptian

sexology, Dr. Heba Kottb.


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Personal Interview (II)

We didn’t only depend on the medical viewpoint; we also had to tackle the sociological

and psychological perspective. We interviewed Dr. Amira Badran a psychologist and a

social consultant dealing with sexual issues.

Q1: Could you please define sexual health education?

From what I believe, sexual health education is something that is very vital, and what

people don’t really know is, that sexual health isn’t only concerning intimate relations; I

believe there is a misconception, between sexual relations and sexual health. It’s true that

sexual health contains sexual relations, but what people fail to recognize is that sexual

health is also about body respect and appreciation and self hygiene, and also learning

how to act upon sexual feelings properly when the right time comes. Sexual Health is

creating awareness among people of the true meaning & the importance of "sex" in life,

Beside the awareness of the limits of the "Sexual Behaviors" and the best ways to keep

your sexual system physiologically healthy, So you get to avoid sexual issues that are

caused by psychological, social or health reasons or maybe caused by a big mistake in

understanding religion instructions.

Q3: So, what can the lack of sexual education leads to?

A young girl is always raised, to hate being touched and her parents always tell her its

wrong if anybody sees your body, which is good but when she grows up and get married

she is asked to love sexual relations and live happily with them. How can you ask

someone who has been living all his life knowing that sex is a forbidden issue to act upon

that? What I also believe is that if the proper information is not transmitted to our kids,

they will find a way to get this improper information from many improper sources.


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Q4: Why aren’t there any open sexual discussions in Egypt?

Because we are a conservative society, and sexual issues are taboos from our own

creation and that is because of lots of misunderstanding in religious beliefs, while they all

don’t know is that Islam is with sexual education, yet not in a comprehensive approach

that will contradict religious values. Because of our unawareness in the first place in the

importance of sex in our lives, as well as our incorrect understanding to the area of sex

and claiming that it is against our religion. For example, we did not find in the Qur'an a

special part to talk about this area but we found the verses talking about the ethics of

sexual intercourse or should be washing it before or after, and some other verses talking

about faith or social relations!

Q5: Do you think that Sexual Health should be taught in schools? why or why not?

I do believe that the education role would be very strong & helpful in creating the best

awareness, Specially that I prefer using "Sex Education" to "Sexual Health" because

dealing with the sex part is an educational deal . It Starts since the age of three at home

and everywhere , And the way to deal with the sex part in a person's life does change &

develop to take the right shape for his age & mind , And That's why we need schools to

explain sex job in our religious, scientific & social life . So we certainly need to choose

very well who would present and teach the limits of this type of education.


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Q5: What do you think is the most proper way for teaching sexual health?

Sexual Health or Sex Education isn't like a course that takes some of our time and it's not

a specific mission that needs to be done , It starts with your birth, For Example : when the

kid's two years old the mother must focus on his privacy & his sexual ID Like trying not

to change her clothes in front of the kid and teaching him gently to close the bathroom

door when he uses it and sometimes closes it for him in a nice way and telling him that

it's not acceptable to leave it opened , So that he gets the message simply Because it's

always far better to teach a human in a gentle , spontaneous , honest and clear way and

you must convince the kid using a scientific information that works with his age.

Q6: Do you think that the government will approve to host a program discussing

sexual health?

I think that the government may start dealing with this part more seriously than ever

because sexual deviation affects the community progress & health. Our community now

suffers from sexual harassment, homosexual and forbidden sexual behaviors So I think

the government needs to move a little more to solve these issues but I also believe that

they won't be able to do it properly.


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Q7: Why parents don't discuss such issues with their kids?

Because unfortunately , They were raised on the same fake ideas which were passed to

them and how's sex space's forbidden and defect and so , And because the scientific

information is still weak or confused despite the experience of passing through marriage ,

They still can't discuss such area or even discuss their own sexual problems, they live

with the problems for years until they explode , because they have been prisoners of the

type of literacy education which included the illiteracy of others justified in sex

education. I believe that parents will be the best in educating their kids about sexual

issue, in fact I believe that your campaign should target parents.

Q8: If there will be a campaign to aware people about sexual health education, what

do you expect from it?

-Short and impressive sentences about realistic problems that happened to their children.

- Sexual deviations with some of the details that occur to the absence of this dialogue and the type of relationship between them and their children.

- A short video of a person suffering from a sexual problem and saying that he needed the presence of a parent at a time, but did not find him.

- Set to footages of advisers who give a message to the parents in quick and powerful phrases or the adoption of the seriousness of the problems due to the absence of the role of parents.

-To meet with specialists in schools indicate how serious they need to learn how to deal with the problems of female and male students.

- Brochure explains the most important lectures or training courses that the parents need, besides clarifying the place and time.

- A hot line to inquire.


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Phone Interview

During our research we found out that one of the private schools in Egypt is starting to

launch sexual health classes. So we had to conduct a phone interview with the program

director and the head of the primary stage Mrs. Hannan Nassar so we can find out more

about this issue.

Q1: How did the idea come to you?

From my sister who works as a teacher at the USA

Q2: Is the government aware of these classes?

No, they don’t

Q3: Do you think the government will mind?

No because it will be totally scientific and from a religious perspective, plus these will be

optional classes with the parent approval.

Q4: Why are you doing these classes?

Kids are sp open nowadays and they will sure know about sexual issues, we just have to

make sure it’s proper

Q5: What is the parent’s role?

Monitor TV time and try to prevent sexual or semi sexual scenes.

Monitor internet and free time

Give space but with limits

The role is to deliver the right message and not to be afraid to answer questions


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Focus Group

After figuring out the source of the problem, we had to study its consequences and the

complications it might cause. We formed a focus group that contains six girls who were

pregnant at the age of 17, and at the time being 4 of them are 22 years old single parents,

and 2 of them formed an immediate abortion.

Introduction

First of all, I like to thank all of you for approving to attend this focus group and help in

forming my research. I know it’s awkward and embarrassing for you girls, but I really

appreciate your help, and I promise you that the information you provide me, will be only

for research bases, I want you to feel comfortable and know that this session is not

recorded. If at any time of the conversation you feel uncomfortable please ask me to stop.

Q1: How was your personal life during your high school years?

First thing the six girls were best friends during their high school years, and they were

always together, so they simply had the same life. Their parents were busy at work all the

time, and most of their fathers were outside of Egypt, because of that they were provided

with ultimate freedom from their parents. The used to stay over at each other house and

stay out all night with friends. About the relationship between them and their parents was

superficial, they didn’t give them time and they never had an actual talk about anything.

Q2: So, you believe that your parents are the reason in your current situation?

They believe that their parents had a big role in the situation they are facing, but it wasn’t

only that it was their peers and the improper definition of freedom they understood, and

not understanding their religion.


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Q3: So, tell me about the experience you went through?

“It was a weak moment” they stated, they guys were their friends and from what they

thought, the guys were doing this out of love. “Of course we were naïve and immature

and we weren’t educated enough”

Q4: How did you discover your pregnancy and how did you deal with it?

It was a shock for them, they didn’t know until their second month, but only one of them

knew from the start and she told her mother immediately and that was one of the two

girls who, had an immolate abortion, the other one told her partner and she had an

immediate abortion, but the guy married her at the end. The other four are now living

with 5 years old babies and they are all alone.

Q5: How did you face your parents?

Two of them stated that their parents didn’t really care, while one of them never told her

parents because she was the married one. While the other 3 faced complications with

their parents that they don’t like to talk about.

Q6: Do you regret it?

All of them aren’t happy with what they are in at the moment, and the married girl says

“I can’t stand the way my husband is looking at me, he makes me feel cheap”, they all

wish their parents would controlled them much more, and they all wish that their parents

would have given them the time to discuss with them such issues.

Q7: How did the experience change your life?

5 of them got veiled and they concentrated their life in charity work, and Islamic rituals

and 3 of them went to “Mecca”. They stated that they know that they were wrong and

they did something forbidden so they had to do something so God would forgive them.

They also stated that they will never raise their kids, the same way they were raised.


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Virtual Focus Group

Due to the complications we faced in forming a focus group with parents, we formed a

research tick so it can help us in measuring the attitudes of parents towards the tackled

issue. We formed a virtual focus group, in other words an online chat. We created a blog

and inserted a chat box into our blog, so we can give a chance to our selected parents to

communicate together, with us monitoring their conversation.

*http://sexual-ed-campaign.blogspot.com/


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Quantitative

Due to our segmentation, and the fact that we are aware of our target and focus after our

qualitative research, a questionnaire was exactly what we needed, so we can measure opinions

and try to have a solid number that we can talk upon. We distributed 107 copies, to parents we

started the questionnaire with letting them define sexual education, and then we started asking

questions, concerning their attitudes towards sexual issues.

The following are highlights for the most important findings we came up with after the

distribution of our questionnaire.

On a scale form 1-5, how comfortable are you in discussing sexual relations with your

partner?

40% were uncomfortable 27% Neutral 32% were comfortable

Have you ever discussed sexual issues with your kids?

46% Yes 54% No

Which is the most proper age for sexual education?

22% 6-12 49% 13-19 29% 20-25

32%

8%15%15%

30%

Sexual Health Education is:Sexual Relations

Sexual Relations & Body Respec/ Self hygine

Body respect/self hygine

cultral Taboo


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81% of our sample believes that their kids are exposed to improper sexual health information,

but still they are not willing to teach them nor sending them to a profession, nor approving sexual

education at schools. 100% of our sample believe that their kids are getting improper information

form the following sources:

o Magazines o Internet o Peers o Television o Comics/jokes

So concluding our findings, our audiences have a huge misconception, about sexual health

education, and they are aware that people are receiving improper sexual information and still

refusing to take an action

Online Polls

In order to make our research more comprehensive, we used another research trick,

which is online polling so we can measure opinions concerning our issue. The only

problem we faced was that we didn’t know the nationality of the voters, and our target

was Egyptians. Two over come this issue we figured 3 methods:

1. We created a Facebook group and we managed to collect a database of Egyptian Facebook groups that discuss the same or relevant issue. After our search we posted the links of our polls on these groups

2. We also managed to collect a database of Egyptian forums, that discuss the tackled issue, and we posted the links for our polls along with our Facebook group.

3. After a huge internet search we managed to find a website that enables more then one question in the same poll. Due to that we added one more question, asking about the geographical region of the voters.


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Poll 1:

*http://www.polljunkie.com/aJA8E5/Poll7345.asp

Poll 2:

45% won’t talk

32%when they ask

23% when the right time comes

*http://www.micropoll.com/akira/mpview/898576-250177

Poll 2 (after including geographical region)

*http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/482466


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Demographics

Since we agreed on addressing the parenthood sector, we are having a broad population so, our

demographics are going to be as follows: Married Males & Females ages 25 and above, with a

medium-high income level. Their education level will be medium –high, their profession will be

basically anything, and they will be looking after a family whether it’s small, medium or big.

Psychographics

As mentioned they will be parents, or potential parents, who are interested in building a

health/happy family. With an interest in wide variety of activities like; shopping, sports, going to

the club, and having family outings/vacations. They will be health oriented and looking after

their health and their kid’s health, for example, regular medical checkups for their kids. Their

exposure to media will be high, especially TV, they will be on the go a lot, so the can be exposed

to billboards.

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Research & methodology