Why RSE is important?
Good quality, clear and evidence-based relationship and sex education (RSE) can have a significant positive impact on the physical and mental health of young people and prove helpful for life as young people become adults.
Evidence suggests it can play a vital role in delaying early sex, prevent transmission of sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), prevent unintended pregnancy, empower young people to have conversations around consent as well as support confident disclosure about sexual abuse or exploitation.
There is no credible evidence to support that talking about sex encourages it or facilitates it amongst young people. What we have heard is that if adults won’t talk about sex in an informed or sensible way, young people will try to find out themselves and can end up in some very explicit pornographic websites, for example. A recent report suggested that a little over one third of students expressed some agreement that they have ‘learned more about sex from pornography than from formal education’ Sex-and-Relationships-Among-Students-Summary-Report.pdf (hepi.ac.uk)
Over reliance on pornography as a source of sex education may pose risks. According to a summary of the existing evidence published by the office of the Children’s Commissioner:
Pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes about sex; maladaptive attitudes about relationships; more sexually permissive attitudes; greater acceptance of casual sex; beliefs that women are sex objects; more frequent thoughts about sex; sexual uncertainty (e.g. the extent to which children and young people are unclear about their sexual beliefs and values); and less progressive gender role attitudes (e.g. male dominance and female submission).
Basically_porn_is_everywhere.pdf (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk)
Many parents need schools and educators to support the conversations, and young people consistently tell us that the three preferred sources about sex and relationships are (in order)
- Schools
- Parents
- Health professionals
