via CAAI News Media
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
by Sopheap Chak
Celebrating Valentine's Day is relatively a recent phenomenon in Cambodia. It was only in the past decade when Valentine's Day was celebrated in the country. Though Valentine's Day has gained much popularity among the younger generation, its definition and practice remain controversial. They spark an alarming attention especially on the wrong practice associated with this global occasion.
Many writers regret that the meaning of Valentine's Day has been misinterpreted. Chhay Sophal, in his article on ” ប្រយ័ត្នទិវា វ៉ាឡិនថាញដេ ក្លាយជាទិវាស្នេហ៍កម្មជាទិវានៃក្តីស្រឡាញ់” [Be Warned of Valentine's Day to Become a Regrettable Eve], emphasized that the youth have confusingly transformed the meaning of Valentine's day:
ដោយឡែកនៅកម្ពុជា វប្បធម៌នេះក៏មានប្រជាប្រិយផងដែរចាប់តាំងពីឆ្នាំ ២០០០ មកពិសេសក្នុងចំណោមយុវវ័យ។ អ្វីដែលគួរឲ្យកត់សំគាល់ គឺពួកយុវវ័យ មួយចំនួនបានយកអត្ថន័យនៃទិវានេះទៅជាទិវាមួយសម្រាប់គូស្នេហ៍ទៅវិញ ដោយបកប្រែពាក្យ វ៉ាឡិនថាញ ដេ (valentine day) ថាជាទិវាសង្សារទៅវិញ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យពួកយុវវ័យខ្មែរយល់ខុសវក់នឹងសង្សារ មិនបានគិតពីមិត្តភក្កិដទៃ ពិសេសឪពុកម្តាយបងប្អូនរបស់ខ្លួន។
Valentine's Day has become popular among young generations in Cambodia since 2000. Strikingly, some young people have wrongly defined this Valentine's Day as the “Eve for Lovers” instead of “Eve for Love” with the latter referring to love for parents, relatives and friends in general.
Sophal also highlighted the negative impact resulting from the misinterpretation of Valentine's Day. This includes sexual misconduct among young lovers, which is a violation of Cambodian culture, especially for unmarried couples. Another impact is the possible harm on the reproductive health of young women.
ជាការពិត យើងមិនទោមនស្សនឹងក្តីស្រឡាញ់របស់យុវវ័យនោះទេ ប៉ុន្តែអ្វីដែលយើងព្រួយបារម្ភនោះគឺស្រ្តីវ័យក្មេងអាចបាត់បង់កិត្តិយស អាសោចកេរ្តិ៍ដោយតែបាត់បង់ភាពបរិសុទ្ធ។ ជាងនេះទៅទៀត ពួកគេអាចប្រឈមនឹងការមានផ្ទៃពោះដោយចៃដន្យ ប្រសិនបើការរួមភេទជាមួយបុរសជាសង្សារនោះមិនបានប្រើប្រាស់ស្រោមអនាម័យឲ្យបានត្រឹមត្រូវ ហើយការមានផ្ទៃពោះនេះគឺឈានទៅធ្វើការរំលូតកូន ដែលប្រការនេះពិតជាធ្វើឲ្យស្រ្តីវ័យក្មេងប្រឈមនឹងបញ្ហាសុខភាពបន្តពូជទៅពេលអនាគត។
Though we do not mind about the youth's love affairs, we are much concerned about young women whose dignity will be damaged given the fact of their lost virginity. Even worse is that they may be pregnant and it may lead to abortion. This will be harmful to women reproductive health.
Sophal further emphasized that young women are more prone to HIV/AIDS if their sexual partners do not use condoms. They can also be victimized by pornography scandals that may jeopardize their future and the reputation of their family. Thus Sophal warns young women to be careful not to fall into the love trap during this Valentine's Day. He advised that the youth will be in a better position to celebrate this occasion with their beloved parents, relatives or friends in a proper manner.
These observations have been shared by Vutha Morn who questioned the link of culture identity and cultural preservation while Sidaroth Kong wrote in her Facebook status that “Valentine's Day and Controversy Khmer Culture: Is sleeping with your partner the only way to show that you love him?”
According the a cross-sectional research on “Love and Sexual Relationship: Experiences and Plans of Middle Class Young People Regarding the Upcoming Valentine's Day In Phnom Penh in 2009″ done by Soprach Tong, who surveyed 458 youths aging from 15 to 24, majority of them do not understand the background of Valentine’s Day. Asked if the middle class young people in Phnom Penh plan to be sexually active on the upcoming Valentine’s Day, Soprach found that:
“In the results, 12.4 percent of all respondents answered that they expect to be able to have sex on the upcoming Valentine's Day, and more than 14.3 percent of young people in a couple answered that they expect to be able to have sex with their sweethearts on that day too, and a few couples plan not to use a condom. Meanwhile, more than a third (39.5%) of the young people in a couple surveyed (n=38) stated that it will be the first time for them to have sexual intercourse. And the other two thirds (66.6%) of young males in couple (n=25) will pressure or force their girlfriend on having sex using many devices, if they do not agree. And at least seven percent of young males who answered that they expect to be able to have sex are open to being involved in Bauk [Gang rape, a slang term occurs after one (or two) youth(s) negotiate a price with a sex worker, or solicit a woman’s affection and arrange a proposed destination for sexual intercourse. Then the woman is taken to a hotel or guest-house, where numerous other young men are waiting, or will soon arrive] on the upcoming Valentine’s Day”
From this result, the author urged for attention on sexual consent, sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS programs which target young people in the urban areas of Cambodia.
Given these alarming facts and concerns, the Cambodian Ministry of Women's Affairs, initiated five-minute spots educating the teenagers about the “meaning of the Valentine's day” in order that the young will be encouraged to expresses their love to family first, followed by teachers and then friends. This educational spot which aims to warn Cambodian teenagers against engaging in promiscuous sex has been welcomed by majority of students, teachers, and bloggers.
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