Soap Operas

 

Did you know soap operas can change people's attitudes on a number of areas? Mexico's national television network broadcast a series of soap opera segments on the subject of literacy. The day following an episode where one of the characters in the soap opera went to a literacy office wanting to learn to read and write, over 250,000 people did the same thing in Mexico City alone. Eventually 840,000 people enrolled in literacy courses all in response to those soap opera segments.

 

On another subject, birth control, a drama series on contraception, resulted in Mexico's birth rate by over 30 percent.

 

Following as series of radio serial dramas on such issues as reproductive health and gender equity surveys indicated that just after two years over 60 percent of people seeking reproductive health care had listened to one of those dramas. On the subject of HIV, male listeners sought HIV tests at a rate 4 times non-listeners and female listeners at a rate of 3 times non-listeners. Demand for contraceptives increased 150 percent and the number of children per woman declined to 4.3 from 5.4.

 

The United Nations reports providing effective contraception to 200 million women without access to such services could prevent almost 100 million unwanted pregnancies, induced abortions and infant deaths.   

 

Considering the influence soap operas wield is it any wonder the affect sex centered soap operas have on the United States? And do not forget violent movies, violent television shows, and violent video games.