28 Aug 2003

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Hong Kong Sex Education Association would like to express our deepest concern with the case of Professor CY Ho (National Central Universal Center for the study of Sexualities), who is sued for "distributing" obscene information on the Internet.

Professor Ho is an internationally famous sexologist who has also fought for female rights. From her published research reports, theses, and performance in the sexology field, we have no doubt that she is a serious worker, and possesses long term aspirations in improving current sex education and sexual equality issues. We feel deeply proud and honoured to have her as our colleague. We believe that it is highly unlikely that she would "distribute" obscene information or pursue similar acts.

Throughout our sex education and sex research experiences, we know that due to the need for research and education, it is necessary sometimes to use words, sayings, diagrams or videos to explain topics of traditional taboos. This can easily be misunderstood as distributing obscene information. Since there are laws in our society to monitor and control sexual explicitness in media, unnecessary litigation will easily arise. Some people with ulterior motives will even use the law as a means to eliminate dissidents or oppositional viewpoints. We sincerely request relevant authorities to handle Professor Ho's case carefully and fairly, to avoid exploitation by monarchs in sexual politics. It would be a tragedy for Taiwan and the world to lose a valuable sexology scholar like Professor Ho.

The Declaration for Sexual Rights, released by the World Association for Sexology in 1999, has been adopted by the World Health Organization as a guide for all countries to set up policy for sexual health and sex education. Among the eleven basic sexual rights in the Declaration, were the rights to sexual information t and sex education. According to sexual information rights, a responsible government should allow her citizens to have free access to sexual information. Likewise, a Government should give her citizens the opportunity of having a rounded sex education. "Rounded" means no forbidden zone that could obstruct the improvement of sex knowledge and attitudes. These guidelines may perhaps serve as a useful reference in the judgment of Professor Ho's case.

With best regards,

The Hong Kong Sex Education Association