When Ho Fung sat down recently to talk with his girlfriend, his
thoughts were fixed on the future matters of love, marriage and
family chief among them.
"We haven't made plans for getting married just yet since we
aren't financially stable," said Ho Fung, 17. "We have similar
personalities and have a great time together. We plan to live
together in the future."
Dating, sex and marriage can be complicated issues even in the
best of circumstances, which is one of the reasons Ho-fung and his
girlfriend, both of whom suffer from intellectual disabilities,
have been taking part in a sex-education and group discussion
program at the Yau Chong Home, an assisted-living residence for
people in their condition.
The program is part of an effort by Hong Kong's Family Planning
Association (FPA) to help people with intellectual disabilities
steer their way past the many pitfalls associated with romance and
relationships.
Sex Education Materials
The FPA published the special administrative region's first-ever
sex education material for people with intellectual disabilities
last month. Revolving around the themes of dating, marriage and
sex, the materials offer advice on social interaction,
relationships, preparing for marriage and facts about sexual
intercourse.
Keeley Chan, an official from the FPA's Education Division, said
the move comes in response to a rising need for sex education for
the intellectually disabled, whose passion and desire for love and
to be loved are sometimes overlooked.
The intellectually disabled have the same physical and emotional
needs as anyone else, and it would be wrong to suppress their
pent-up desires, said Chan.
With the right guidance and access to sex education, the
intellectually disabled can lead fulfilling married lives, Chan
said.
The FPA's educational package includes textbooks, CD-ROMs,
illustrated cards and posters of the human body. The materials are
available at the FPA library, and are distributed to groups that
work with the intellectually impaired, Chan said.
Help in Need
Ho Wing-yi, a psychiatrist at the Fu Hong Society, an
organization that provides housing to the handicapped, lauded the
program, saying that the intellectually disabled needed help to
better understand the responsibilities inherent in marriages and
relationships.
Ho said guidance from social workers would help such couples
develop stable relationships. The materials are also intended to
help the parents of the mentally disabled.
Parents sometimes need help learning to accept that their
children experience sexual desire just like anyone else, and they
should discuss issues like love and relationship freely and openly,
Ho added.
Lai Hung-shing, a service unit manager at the Yau Chong Home,
which is operated by the Fu Hong Society, emphasized the need to
break taboos by increasing his communication with his clients and
explaining both the responsibility of marriage and the problems
they might face as a couple.
Marriage between two mentally challenged people can be a
blessing if both understand the significance of their union, are
independent and can rely on family support, said Lai.
Cheng Dai, 34, and her boyfriend of eight years are ready for
the challenge and plan to marry soon. With the support from both
families, the couple will stay with the groom's uncle after they
have tied the knot in order to minimize their living expenses.
(China Daily January 24, 2007)