Image: Kevin Dooley
Twitter users might have recently noticed the hash-tag #whatsexedtaughtme popping up accompanied by a brief description of the tweeter’s sex education at school. This is part of a study held by Brook, a sexual health service for under 25s, researching the state of sex education in schools. The results are unsurprising.
Teenagers want more say in their sex education. A poll taken by Brook revealed that of over 2,000 14 to18 year olds 78% did not feel they had the chance to influence the content of their lessons and 72% thought they should have more influence over their sex and relationships education (SRE).
It was revealed in a Research Bods survey that teenagers get about 13% of their sex ed from an SRE teacher, 10% from a parent and 14% from magazine agony aunts, books, music lyrics and videos. These are the reliable sources teenagers are using. Although I shudder to think what music lyrics they are referring to. Unless SRE classes are now ending with a sing-along.
Teenagers want more say in their sex education. A poll taken by Brook revealed that of over 2,000 14 to18 year olds 78% did not feel they had the chance to influence the content of their lessons and 72% thought they should have more influence over their sex and relationships education (SRE).
It was revealed in a Research Bods survey that teenagers get about 13% of their sex ed from an SRE teacher, 10% from a parent and 14% from magazine agony aunts, books, music lyrics and videos. These are the reliable sources teenagers are using. Although I shudder to think what music lyrics they are referring to. Unless SRE classes are now ending with a sing-along.
36% of teenagers got most of their information about sex from friends and 10% from a girlfriend or boyfriend. 5% said they learned about sex from pornography.
Which is probably why 59% have been reliably informed a woman can’t get pregnant if the man doesn’t ejaculate inside her, 33% know you totally can’t get pregnant the first time you do it and a quarter of those surveyed heard only gay people catch HIV.
Brook hopes the findings will help readdress the balance of sex ed offered at schools, with a more consistent level of information provided. Jules Hillier, Brook deputy chief executive, explains, "Young people in Britain deserve honest, useful information about sex and relationships but SRE in UK schools is failing them.
A spokesman for the Department of Education responded, "We are carrying out a wide, internal review of the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum to strengthen classes to address weaknesses reported by Ofsted last year.”
I went to a primary school where sex ed was not available. Put it this way, once a condom was discovered in the playground and I thought it was an animal.
Kate
Which is probably why 59% have been reliably informed a woman can’t get pregnant if the man doesn’t ejaculate inside her, 33% know you totally can’t get pregnant the first time you do it and a quarter of those surveyed heard only gay people catch HIV.
Brook hopes the findings will help readdress the balance of sex ed offered at schools, with a more consistent level of information provided. Jules Hillier, Brook deputy chief executive, explains, "Young people in Britain deserve honest, useful information about sex and relationships but SRE in UK schools is failing them.
A spokesman for the Department of Education responded, "We are carrying out a wide, internal review of the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum to strengthen classes to address weaknesses reported by Ofsted last year.”
I went to a primary school where sex ed was not available. Put it this way, once a condom was discovered in the playground and I thought it was an animal.
Kate
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