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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

'We need to talk about sex': Young people call for sex ed to grow up

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A large study in Australia reveals that one in five teenagers aged 14-18 have experienced unwanted sex, and 18% faced physical violence from a partner.
  • Sex education programs in schools are highlighted as a potential solution, aiming to reduce stigma and equip young people with the language to discuss their bodies and seek help.
  • Educators emphasize a sex-positive approach that acknowledges risks while promoting safe and respectful relationships, with students finding these lessons crucial for understanding intimacy and seeking support.

Australia's largest teen sexual health study has uncovered alarming rates of intimate partner violence and unsafe sex among young people, coinciding with a rise in sexually transmitted infections. The findings, based on a survey of 4,400 teens aged 14 to 18, indicate that one in five experienced unwanted sex, and 37% of those in relationships felt scared of their partner, with 18% reporting physical violence.

Those findings, actually, I found quite surprising and quite shocking.

— Professor Jennifer PowerLead researcher on the 8th National Survey of Australian Secondary Students and Sexual Health (SSASH), commenting on the study's findings.

Professor Jennifer Power, the lead researcher, described the statistics as "quite surprising and quite shocking." In response, educational initiatives are being emphasized. At Lakeview Senior College, Anne Atcheson from Sexual Health Victoria leads classes for Year 10 students, aiming to destigmatize conversations about sex and relationships. "The most important thing is to take away stigma so that young people have the language to be able to talk about their own bodies and their own experiences and get help if they need it," Atcheson stated.

The most important thing is to take away stigma [so] that young people have the language to be able to talk about their own bodies and their own experiences and get help if they need it.

— Anne AtchesonEducator from Sexual Health Victoria, explaining the goals of sex education classes.

These classes adopt a "sex-positive lens," acknowledging potential risks while centering the idea that everyone deserves safe and respectful sexual relationships. Students engage in open discussions, defining sex beyond mere pleasure to include intimacy and expressions of love. The curriculum is designed to be inclusive, accommodating diverse experiences, including those of neurodiverse students who find social cues and physical intimacy confusing. The program aims to empower students to seek help without shame, addressing challenges many face in discussing these topics with parents or finding reliable information online.

Without feeling ashamed of that experience or worried about it, or like it's so awful they can't go and seek help.

— Anne AtchesonExplaining the importance of reducing stigma in sex education.
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Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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