A period of increasing vulnerability and

risks. Even as it opens the door to a

wider world, new kinds of relationships
and new types of challenges, it exposes
the youth to greater threats and more
risks than they have ever encountered.
 These threats and risks are potential
landmines in the adolescents’ journey to
adulthood. They pose very real dangers
to their safety, health, well being and
future.

As teachers/church workers, we should be the

first allies and partners of our adolescents in
development, we need to know and understand
these threats and risks facing our adolescent
children.
OO EARLY SEXUAL INVOLVEMENT

IV-AIDS/STI

APE and OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL

ABUSE/VIOLENCE
ARLY MARRIAGE

BORTION

RAFFICKING & EXPLOITATION OF ABUSED

CHILDREN

URVIVAL SEX
OO EARLY SEXUAL INVOLVEMENT
This refers to engaging in some form of sexual encounter or
sexual intercourse at an early age. Too early sexual involvement
often leads to WASTED lives.

eak self-image and low self-esteem

dolescent or teenage pregnancy
exually Transmitted Diseases

ainted Reputation and Tarnished Image

motional wounds
isrupted goals, Disappointed parents, Dim Future
Young people's interest about sex grows as
they go through adolescence. There are
number of factors that contribute to too young
sexual involvement and adolescent pregnancy.

Parts of the most common ones are

related to DESIRE. This DESIRE
often pushes young people towards too
early sexual involvement.
esire to be "in", "cool", accepted or popular.

xploration/experimentation.

ocial and peer pressure.

nadequate or inaccurate knowledge.

omantism.

scape from problems, parents or a troubled family

 Based on recent study, the average young
viewer is exposed to 14,000 sexual
references each year. Considering the
number of media messages and the amount
of time they spent with media, it is not
surprising that adolescents are learning from
them. However, only a handful provides
accurate information particularly on sex, and
other sexuality- related topics .
 As church
workers/teachers, it is
imperative that we
become vigilant and aware
on how powerful media
is, in providing
information to our
 WHEN A
TEENAGER GETS
PREGNANT,
WE ALL CARRY
HER CHILD
IV-AIDS/STI

stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

 It is the virus which causes Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

 HIV attacks the body's immune system. It makes

the body defenseless against infections and other
diseases.
 IV-AIDS/STI
These symptoms usually include:

hronic diarrhea
ardening or swelling of glands located in throat, armpit or groin
ecurring fever or night sweats; vaginal yeast infection
apid weigth loss of more than 10-15 pounds
ral thrush (mouth infection with the yeast organism, candida)

umbness or pain in the hands

ncreasing shortness of breath
ncidence of skin discoloration or unusual rashes
hronic pelvic inflammatory disease
 APE and OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL
ABUSE/VIOLENCE

 Sexual Violence is an umbrella term for rape or sexual assault, sexual

abuse, incest, sexual exploitation, pedophilia and sexual harassment.
They are all violations of our bodies and personal space. They are all
crimes .
 Sexual assault or rape is form of sexual violence. It is essentially a
crime of violence and not motivated by sexual desire. Rapists use
violence to abuse and dominate their victims, to express anger and
feel powerful .
 Rape is a crime of violence. It is not a sexual act. Neither is it a crime
of passion and lust. It is a violent, brutal assault. Assailants seek to
dominate, humiliate and punish their victims .
 APE and OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL
ABUSE/VIOLENCE

 Sexual abuse occurs when an older or more

knowledgeable child, adolescent, or adult, uses child
or adolescent for sexual pleasure .

 Sexual abuse of children and adolescents involve

forcing, tricking, bribing, threatening or pressuring a
child or adolescent into sexual awareness or
activity .
As teachers/church leaders, we
should recognize that
empowering our
children/adolescents is the best
way to address/avoid these
concerns. If our children know
their basic rights they can
stand firm without any
hesitation or fear to resist any
violations they encounter..
 EARLY MARRIAGE
Too early sexual involvement and adolescent or
teenage pregnancy may also lead to forced marriage or
other similar arrangements.
 Early marriages exposes adolescents and youth to
frequent sexual activities with their partners and more likely
result in unwanted pregnancies and undesired family size
(unplanned family).
 BORTION

Abortion is illegal in the Philippines yet it has

been estimated that about 400,000 abortions
are performed every year .

 The reasons for resorting to abortion differ between adult

women and adolescents. Adult women tend to seek a
termination of pregnancy for social and economic reasons.
Adolescents, on the other hand, have a wider range of
reasons that ranges from loss of educational opportunities
to sexual violence and coercion .
 RAFFICKING & EXPLOITATION OF YOUTH
AND CHILDREN
 Trafficking involves trading and dealing of youth and
children. It involves the act of buying or selling a child for
money, barter, favor or any other consideration. "White
slavery" is a form of trafficking .

 Exploitation refers to the hiring, employment, persuasion,

inducement or coercion of a child or youth to work in an
environment or undertaking which are considered
hazardous or deleterious in nature or would impair normal
development .
 URVIVAL SEX

Related to the issue of exploitation is Survival Sex.

This refers the selling of or trading sex to meet basic
needs such as food or money. However, the barter
have expanded beyond basic needs and has included
drugs, cellular phones, companionships, and other
favors and conveniences in exchange for sexual
services. Survival sex is basically an economic
survival strategy .
 URVIVAL SEX

 Studies reveal a vast involvement of youth and adolescents in

survival sex. Many of them are HELPLESS .
omeless and Runaways
xploited and Abused
ess Economic Opportunities
sychologically disturbed
ow self-esteem
ngaging in Risky-Behaviors
ocially marginalized and neglected
exually disrupted
BANDONMENT/ARMED CONFLICTS

ATURAL RESOURCE DEGRADATION

DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES and

DEMORALIZATION and
INCREASING PASSIVITY OF YOUTH
ISING CRIMINALITY/RISING INCIDENCE
OF SCHOOL DROP OUTS

NCOME DEFICIENCY/INACCURATE and

INADEQUATE INFORMATION

UBSTANCE ABUSE /SEVERAL FORMS

OF GAMBLING

NOWLEDGE and SKILLS INADEQUACY

and INEFFECTIVENESS

PIRITUAL EMPTINESS
 ISING CRIMINALITY

 Rising criminality refers to the increasing

occurrence and growing seriousness of crimes
against persons and property.
 These climates of widespread criminality exposes
the youth to the possibility of being mauled,
attacked, kidnapped, victimize by a pickpocketer,
raped, and even killed.
 ISING INCIDENCE OF SCHOOL DROP OUTS

 Rising incidence of school drop-outs refers to the increasing

occurrence and growing number of young people who are
out of school or has stop attending formal schooling in any
institution .

 The socio-economic conditions of the youth are one of the

major reasons that prompt them to stop schooling especially
if they cannot afford the expenses and requirements of a
student .
 INCOME DEFICIENCY (UNEMPLOYMENT)
 Unemployment is a reality for many young Filipinos. Many
of them leave school early to look fro work and help their
families, yet a number still cannot find suitable employment.
Even those who have completed college or who have gone
to technical/vocational schools are not assured of jobs .

 In 2002, 3.1 million total unemployed belong to ages 15-24.

The high unemployment rate of young people is due to the
country’s constricted market for young entrants to labor
market. The encouraging educational profile of Filipino
youths does not translate into better employment
opportunities (Ogena and berja, 2004)..
 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

 Substance abuse is one of the greatest threats that

confront our adolescents today. They could be the
abusers or they could be the victims of abusers .

 "SUBSTANCE ABUSE" is the term use for the continued

use of some substances where the use interferes with the
physical, social or economic functioning of the user. It
involves a pattern of pathological use of a substance, which
results in social or occupational impairment .
 UBSTANCE ABUSE

 There are six (6) main reasons that young people give for
wanting to use and abuse dangerous substance. They
CRAVE alcohol, tobacco and other prohibited drugs
because of .
URIOSITY
EBELLION AGAINST PARENTS & OTHER AUTHORITY
CCEPTANCE AND BELONGING
EHICLE FOR RELAXATION & FEELING GOOD

SCAPE FROM PROBLEMS OR RELIEF FROM STRESS

 NOWLEDGE & SKILLS DEFICIENCY

 Limited access to quality education and training .

• The high cost of education has contributed to a high
level of drop-outs particularly from the private sector.
• The quality of education has likewise been affected by
the inadequacy of classrooms and educational facilities
particularly in the urban areas .
• There is a decreasing trend in terms of the number of
competent teachers and education professionals .

• Increasing number of OSYs.

 PIRITUAL EMPTINESS

 Spirituality is fast becoming an irrelevant issue

aspect among youth .
 Youth’s journey is slowly becoming a search for
material wealth and welfare. Their spiritual lives
has been disillusioned by temporal happiness and
contentment such that their values are not
anymore reflective of what is right and good but
what is socially acceptable and fashionably right.