It can be uncomfortable talking about sex and sexuality because it'€™s such a private thing, acknowledges psychologist and guidance counsellor, Ingrid Owens, but she has no doubt that children want to talk.

In the past ten years, conservative estimates show that the HIV infection rate has risen from 0,2% in 1990 to 22,4% in 1999. Clearly the prevention message has not been heard. In this week's feature, health workers in the Western Cape speak out about what they think should be said and done.

Mavis Mtandeki is utterly convinced of the importance of talking to her children about sex. '€œWe can'€™t hide just because our parents didn'€™t want to talk about sex.'€ Mavis and another parent, sex educator and clinic nurse share their thoughts on talking to children about sex.