Unit 12 Sexual behaviour and sexual response
Key unit competence: Explain human sexual behaviour and sexual response and make responsible decisions about sexuality.
Key ideas
- Sexuality includes a person's feelings, thoughts, attitudes, values and behaviours as a male or female. It develops throughout life and is influenced by biology, family, culture, religion, friends and the media.
- Sexual behaviour is the way people express their sexuality: friendship, holding hands, dating, kissing and sexual intercourse. Not all sexual feelings need action: people can choose how and when to act, according to their values and the law.
- Sexual response is the body's reaction to sexual stimulation. It is described in phases: excitement (arousal), plateau, orgasm and resolution. Arousal causes faster heartbeat and breathing and more blood flow to the genitals.
- Sexual feelings during adolescence are normal, caused by sex hormones (testosterone, oestrogen) at puberty. Wet dreams in boys and attraction to others are normal signs of development.
- Responsible sexual behaviour means making decisions that protect one's health, education and dignity and respect others: abstinence for young people, saying no clearly, avoiding risky places and situations, avoiding alcohol and drugs, and seeking correct information.
- Consent: sexual activity must be freely and clearly agreed by both people, who must be adults by law. A child (under 18 in Rwanda) cannot legally give consent. Pressure, threats, gifts or money do not make consent valid.
- Sexual abuse and harassment: unwanted sexual comments, touching, exposure or forced sex. Rape and defilement (sex with a child) are crimes. Victims should tell a trusted adult and get help quickly (health centre within 72 hours for PEP; Isange One Stop Centre; free lines 116 for child help and 3512 for gender-based violence).
- Risks of early sexual activity: unplanned pregnancy, STIs including HIV, school dropout, emotional stress, and conflict with family.
- Influences: peer pressure, media and pornography, alcohol and drugs, poverty and transactional sex can push young people into risky behaviour. Protective factors: good communication with parents, clear personal goals, positive friends, life skills (assertiveness, decision-making, critical thinking).
Common misconceptions
- "Sexual feelings mean you must have sex." No: feelings are normal, but people choose whether and when to act.
- "If someone accepts a gift, they have agreed to sex." No: consent must be freely and clearly given; gifts do not create consent.
- "Only girls can be sexually abused." No: boys can also be victims of abuse and should report it.
- "Wet dreams are a disease." No: they are a normal part of puberty in boys.
Worked examples
Example 1. A 15-year-old boy feels strong attraction to a classmate and his friends say he must "prove himself". Explain how he can act responsibly.
Solution
His feelings are normal, caused by hormones at puberty. He can choose abstinence, express friendship respectfully, refuse peer pressure with assertive words, focus on his goals, and talk to a trusted adult. Acting on pressure risks pregnancy, STIs and harm to both students.
Example 2. Explain why a 14-year-old cannot give legal consent to sex, even if she says yes.
Solution
By Rwandan law a person under 18 is a child. Children are considered unable to fully understand the consequences and are easily pressured by adults; sex with a child is defilement, a crime, whatever the child says.
Practice questions
Define sexuality and give three factors that influence it.
Show answer
Sexuality is a person's feelings, thoughts, attitudes, values and behaviour related to being male or female. Influences: biology/hormones, family, culture, religion, friends, media.
Common mistake: Defining sexuality only as sexual intercourse.
Name the four phases of sexual response.
Show answer
Excitement (arousal), plateau, orgasm and resolution.
Common mistake: Including menstruation as a phase.
State four risks of early sexual activity.
Show answer
Unplanned pregnancy; STIs including HIV; school dropout; emotional stress; unsafe abortion; family conflict.
Common mistake: Listing only one risk.
Explain what is meant by consent and why a child cannot give it.
Show answer
Consent is free, clear and informed agreement by both people. A person under 18 is a child by law; children can be pressured and cannot fully understand the consequences, so sex with a child is defilement.
Common mistake: Saying consent can be given by accepting gifts.
Give four ways in which young people can avoid risky sexual behaviour.
Show answer
Practise abstinence; avoid alcohol and drugs; avoid risky places and being alone with strangers; choose positive friends; set goals; communicate with parents; use refusal skills.
Common mistake: Relying only on luck.
State what a victim of sexual abuse should do.
Show answer
Go to a safe place; tell a trusted adult; go quickly to a health centre or Isange One Stop Centre (PEP within 72 hours); report to police (call 116 or 3512); get counselling.
Common mistake: Washing and waiting several days before getting help.
Explain how peer pressure can influence sexual behaviour.
Show answer
Friends may tease or encourage risky behaviour so a young person feels they must act to fit in; positive peers can encourage good choices like abstinence and studying.
Common mistake: Saying peer pressure is always negative.
Describe two life skills that help in making responsible sexual decisions.
Show answer
Assertiveness: saying no clearly and respectfully. Decision-making: weighing choices and consequences. Critical thinking: questioning media messages. Goal setting.
Common mistake: Naming skills without describing them.
Matching and drag-and-drop
Matching
Match each item in column A with the correct answer in column B. Write the letter next to each number.
Column A Column B 1. Exchanging sex for money or gifts is: a. sexual harassment 2. Wet dreams in boys are: b. a normal part of puberty 3. Unwanted sexual comments or touching is: c. transactional sex 4. Pressure from friends to behave like them is: d. peer pressure Show answer
1 → c (transactional sex) · 2 → b (a normal part of puberty) · 3 → a (sexual harassment) · 4 → d (peer pressure)
- It exposes young people to abuse and HIV.
- Semen is released during sleep.
- It should be reported.
- It can be positive or negative.
Drag and drop
Choose the correct word or phrase from the box for each gap. One word in the box is not needed.
feelings, attitudes, values and behaviour · good communication with parents · Isange One Stop Centre · the market committee- The one-stop centre that helps victims of gender-based violence in Rwanda is .
- Sexuality includes .
- A protective factor for adolescents is .
Show answer
1: Isange One Stop Centre · 2: feelings, attitudes, values and behaviour · 3: good communication with parents
- It gives medical, legal and counselling help.
- It is much wider than sexual activity.
- Support helps good decisions.
Matching
Match each item in column A with the correct answer in column B. Write the letter next to each number.
Column A Column B 1. The safest choice for young people to avoid pregnancy and STIs is: a. Health workers and counsellors 2. Which source gives reliable information on sexuality? b. freely and clearly given by adults 3. Consent to sex must be: c. sex hormones at puberty 4. Sexual feelings in adolescents are mainly caused by: d. abstinence Show answer
1 → d (abstinence) · 2 → a (Health workers and counsellors) · 3 → b (freely and clearly given by adults) · 4 → c (sex hormones at puberty)
- Abstinence gives full protection.
- Trained people give correct facts.
- Pressure or gifts do not create consent.
- Testosterone and oestrogen rise.
Drag and drop
Choose the correct word or phrase from the box for each gap. One word in the box is not needed.
better eyesight · weakens judgement and self-control · family, culture, friends and media · unplanned pregnancy- Sexual behaviour is influenced by .
- A risk of early sexual activity is .
- Alcohol increases sexual risk because it .
Show answer
1: family, culture, friends and media · 2: unplanned pregnancy · 3: weakens judgement and self-control
- Many social factors shape behaviour.
- It can also lead to STIs and dropout.
- People take risks they would avoid when sober.