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‘‘I Would Have Liked to be Better Prepared for the Real Things’’: A Qualitative Analysis of Sexual Health Education From the Perspective of Sexually Victimized Girls

Fri, April 9, 3:15 to 4:15pm EDT (3:15 to 4:15pm EDT), Virtual

Abstract

Background: Sexual health education plays a pivotal role helping youth develop relational skills and a fulfilling sexual and relational life. Recent guidelines for sex education suggest that educators should consider a positive, empowering, comprehensive and safe approach when planning sex education initiatives (SIECCAN, 2019). However, decision-makers and educators often favor sexual risk prevention initiatives, focusing on sexually transmitted infections, pregnancies and violence (Boislard & Van de Bongardt, 2017), rather than targeting positive aspects of sexuality. Yet, focusing on pleasure, desire and consent could be a more efficient approach to prevent sexual violence in youth since it allows them to get to know themselves better, to define their needs and limits, and to recognize the essential bases for a satisfying and non-coercitive sexuality (Hirst, 2013). Sexual violence prevention programs offered in school settings usually opt for a universal approach addressing the general population, without adapting interventions to the specific needs of at-risk groups (Levesque et al., 2016). Nevertheless, some evidences suggest that universal programs might not be as effective for sexually victimized youth (Hébert et al., 2012). Furthermore, youth often criticize the gap between what they learn in class and what they experience in “real” life (Youth Co, 2018), leaving sex education initiatives currently in place non-adapted to their needs (Byers et al., 2017). Objective: To overcome these limitations, the current study aimed to explore the key principles of sexual health education from the perspective of sexually victimized adolescent girls’. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 100 girls self-identified as heterosexuals, aged between 14 and 19 years-old and who had experienced at least one form of sexual violence by an intimate partner. A thematic analysis was performed based on the sexual health education experiences and needs of girls. Results: Six main principles of sex education were put forward in sexually victimized girls’ narratives: 1. Consensual: promoting the affirmation of sexual desires and limits; 2. Positive: focusing on openness and legitimization to girl’s sexuality rather than repression and rigidity; 3. Enjoyable: targeting female pleasure and desire rather than a focus on prevention and protection; 4. Accessible: creating opportunities for sex education, informal and formal including mandatory courses on consent and sexual violence manifestations; 5. Neutral: based on rigorous and relevant information rather than values, judgments, opinions, or religious beliefs; 6. Gender sensitive: considering girls’ specific sexual issues and contributing to overcome gender stereotypes. Conclusion: Results of the study support the relevance of adopting a positive approach to sexuality focusing on pleasure, consent and sexual assertiveness when planning sexual health education initiatives with sexually victimized youth. Educators need to be open and sensitive to the diverse sexual realities of youth in addition to giving them concrete guidelines with respect to consent if they want to reach them. A better understanding of sexually victimized youth’s perspectives would ensure adequacy with their needs and allow programs to be tailored to meet those needs. Collaborative approaches appear to be particularly relevant to optimized sexual health education in sexually victimized youth.

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