One quarter of Taiwan students aged 11-14 have had a boyfriend or girlfriend, according to the results of a survey published July 21 by the Child Welfare League Foundation into the dating and relationships of local teenagers.
However, 58 percent of such relationships lasted no more than six months, and 37 percent under 3 months, the survey of fifth to eighth graders found.
In terms of the main sources of knowledge about relationships, 44.6 percent pointed to friends, 32.7 percent the Internet and 29 percent teachers, the foundation said. Other media sources also posted a strong showing, with 26 percent gaining knowledge from locally made soap operas, 22.9 percent from manga and novels, 20.1 percent from Japanese and South Korean soaps, and 18.8 percent from general TV variety programming.
CWLF said hit South Korean soaps such as “My Love from the Star” and “The Heirs” cannot be shown in prime time in the Northeast Asian country and children under 15 are not permitted to watch them unaccompanied. However, children in Taiwan watch the shows. The foundation urged the authorities to consider their age grading system for such programs.
The survey also found more than 60 percent of children aged 11-14 have trouble making friends, and more than 10 percent feel they have no friends at all. Of the 24.7 percent who have had a relationship with the opposite sex, 17 percent found their partner via the Internet. A total of 45 percent said they found it easier to communicate via the Internet using Facebook or Line messaing app than face to face.
As for intimate relations, 15.5 percent said that they were willing to do anything to please their partner, and 7.3 percent said they could accept being the third person in a relationship. More than 60 percent said hugging was acceptable, 40 percent said it was OK to kiss, 12.6 percent to caress, and 5.2 percent to have intercourse.
Concerning their parents’ attitude to opposite sex relations, only 33.1 percent said their elders were not opposed. A total of 39.4 percent concealed their dating from parents, while 13 percent said they would fight their parents to keep their relationship, 2.8 percent said they would even elope if they had to, and less than 10 percent said they would break up if forced to. This shows that parental opposition to such relations is ineffective, the foundation said.
The survey results were based on 2,810 completed questionnaires. (SDH)
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