A children’s book is at the centre of a controversy in Indonesia because it teaches children about masturbation.A photo of the book – I Learn to Control Myself, written by Fita Chakra – has spread across social media since Monday, sparking a discussion online about sexual education and igniting parents’ anger.
“Moms, please be careful when you buy a book for your kids. Check and re-check its content,” wrote one user on Facebook.
Another said: “If this book is about sex education, why is the description about it so detailed?”
One page of the book, which has been widely shared online, depicts a cartoon boy lying on a bed. He is saying: “I cross my legs around a bolster tightly. For fun, I move my body up and down. Oh… it feels good. My heart is pounding, but I am happy.”In another screenshot the child says: “I found a new play for fun. Sometimes, I put my hand inside my pants. I repeat, again and again.”In a Muslim majority nation like Indonesia, casual conversations about sex among adults are considered taboo, let alone discussions between parents and children.
Author Fita Chakra has written several educational books for children on issues about emotions and bodily development.She said on Instagram that she felt sad people were just posting one or two pages of the book in question out of context.
“I intensely discussed with the editor about this book long before it was published,” she said. “The writing process took a long time,” she said. Our true intention is to educate children how to protect themselves from sexual abuse. If you read it through, there is a page about tips to parents, because this book is meant to be read with parents’ guidance.”Child and family psychologist Vera Itabiliana told the BBC that while it is important to teach children about sexuality in an early age, the book was targeting the wrong audience.