The Federal Centre for Health Education’s (BZgA) representative study Youth Sexuality 9th Iteration is a representative repeat survey. A large-scale survey of young people, their parents and young adults was launched for the ninth time in the summer of 2019. It follows on from predecessor studies conducted between 1980 and 2014. The goal of the study is to acquire reliable data about the attitudes and behaviours of young people in the Federal Republic of Germany with regards to sexuality and contraception.
Sexuality education and pedagogy primarily take place in the home and at school. Expert advice in gynaecological practices remain almost exclusively reserved for girls. Consequently, advice centres could close an important gap for boys and those adolescents and young adults who do not have a trusted person in their social setting.
The right to advice is provided for in law, in § 2 of the Act on Assistance to Avoid and Cope with Conflicts in Pregnancy (SchKG). Germany possesses a dense network of recognised advice centres where staff will answer questions about sexuality, relationships, contraception and pregnancy(conflicts). They co-operate with institutions such as schools in the area of sexuality education. This fact sheet presents the core results on the role and significance of advice centres for sexuality education and contraception, largely for the sample group of 14- to 17-year-olds, but in some places also for the 18- to 25-year-old young adults.
Results: An Overview
- Young people are aware of the services offered by advice centres and recognise their expertise.
- Advice centres play an important role for those who have little access to information.
- The majority of adolescents and young adults have been made aware of advice centres by their school.
- Whether or not girls and young women take advantage of contraceptive advice from experts is determined by their cultural-religious background.