Let's Talk More on Sex Education

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Sex education in schools is essential as it assists youth in acquiring the knowledge and abilities necessary for making healthy decisions. Sex education in schools is a curriculum that offers knowledge about sexuality, sexual wellness, and interpersonal relationships. It aims to assist young individuals in acquiring the knowledge and abilities required to make well-informed choices regarding their sexual health. A major issue with abstinence-only education is that it prevents teenagers from exploring acceptable alternatives besides abstinence. No type of sex education has proven to effectively discourage teenagers from engaging in sexual activity. Caregivers, teachers, and other important adults in a young person's life should encourage them and enhance their health and wellness. This should occur even if a young individual does not adhere to specific behavioral standards, whether related to sexuality or another aspect. In the last two decades, many studies have repeatedly demonstrated that providing comprehensive sex education in schools does not lead to children initiating sexual activity earlier or engaging in it more frequently. Additional research has indicated that supplying condoms in schools does not increase promiscuity among students.

“Having external condoms available does seem to encourage teens to use them, but only if they would be having sex anyway.”

Comprehensive Sexuality Education or CSE

Comprehensive sexuality education, or various alternate terms, refers to a curriculum-focused approach to instructing and learning regarding the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social dimensions of sexuality. Its goal is to provide children and young individuals with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that enable them to achieve their health, well-being, and dignity; foster respectful social and sexual relationships; reflect on how their decisions impact their well-being and that of others; and comprehend and safeguard their rights throughout their lives. CSE approaches sexuality positively, highlighting values like respect, inclusion, equality, non-discrimination, empathy, responsibility, and reciprocity. It strengthens beneficial and affirmative values regarding bodies, puberty, relationships, sex, and family life.

Does Sex Education Work?

Sex education provides youth with the understanding and abilities necessary for a lifetime of healthy sexual well-being. They discover how to cultivate healthy relationships, make educated choices regarding sex, analyze the world critically, support marginalized individuals, and embrace themselves for their true selves. Studies indicate that sex education that is inclusive and culturally aware aids young individuals in building the social and emotional abilities essential for becoming compassionate and empathetic adults. This form of sex education provided frequently and at an early age, fosters an understanding of sexual diversity, aids in preventing dating and intimate partner violence, promotes healthy relationship development, helps to prevent child sexual abuse, enhances social and emotional learning, and boosts media literacy. It also assists young individuals in preventing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Sex education works best when it’s:

• Taught by trained professionals
• Taught early and often throughout the lifespan
• Includes both information and skill-building activities
• ? Evidence-informed
• ? Inclusive of LGBTQ+ youth
• ? Rooted in anti-racism practices
• Trauma-informed
• Adapted to the needs of the community

The Evidence on The Impact of Sex Education:

1. Sexuality education has beneficial effects, such as enhancing young people's understanding and fostering their attitudes concerning sexual and reproductive health and behaviors.
2. Sexuality education encourages students to postpone their initial sexual experience, enhances their use of condoms and other contraceptives during sexual activity, boosts their understanding of their bodies and healthy relationships, reduces their tendency to take risks, and lowers the incidence of unprotected sex.
3. Programs that advocate for abstinence as the sole option have proven ineffective in postponing sexual initiation, decreasing sexual activity frequency, or lowering the number of sexual partners. For effective change and to decrease early or unintended pregnancies, education on sexuality, reproductive health, and contraception needs to be comprehensive.
4. Sex Education/CSE is five times more likely to be successful in preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections when it pays explicit attention to the topics of gender and power
5. Parents and family members are a primary source of information, values formation, care, and support for children. Sexuality education has the most impact when school-based programmes are complemented with the involvement of parents and teachers, training institutes, and youth-friendly services.

Sex education aims to provide young individuals with the knowledge and abilities required to make informed choices regarding sex and relationships throughout their lives. Studies have consistently demonstrated that teenagers gain advantages from thorough, inclusive sexual education provided in educational institutions. Sex education doesn’t lead children to become more sexually active, but it raises the chances of practicing safer sex. Caregivers play a crucial role in encouraging healthy sexual attitudes and behaviors among young individuals, whether at home or in educational settings. Numerous individuals contribute to educating youth about their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, whether through formal education, at home, or in other informal environments. Ideally, comprehensive and reliable education on these subjects should be offered from various sources. This involves parents and relatives as well as educators, who can assist in guaranteeing that young individuals receive scientific and accurate information while helping them develop critical skills. Moreover, sex education can be offered beyond the school setting, for instance, by qualified social workers and counselors who support young individuals.

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References

1.???? Hall KS, McDermott Sales J, Komro KA, Santelli J. The state of sex education in the United States. J Adolesc Health. 2016;58(6):595-597. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.03.032

2.???? Goldfarb ES, Lieberman LD. Three decades of research: the case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2021;68(1):13-27. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.036

3.???? Wang T, Lurie M, Govindasamy D, Mathews C. The effects of school-based Condom Availability Programs (CAPs) on condom acquisition, use and sexual behavior: a systematic review. AIDS Behav. 2018;22(1):308-320.? doi:10.1007/s10461-017-1787-5

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