Pandemic Has Created Greater Need for Positive Sexual Health Information for Young People

HINSDALE, Ill., April 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a 2020 study, half of 11- to 13-year-olds have viewed pornography. Of the children who admitted searching for pornography, nearly two-thirds said they did it to learn: 1) ideas for new things to try sexually, 2) about sex generally, 3) how to get better at sex, and 4) what people expect from me sexually.

COVID has only complicated young people's sexual, social, and mental health. With increased isolation and mental health setbacks, students of all ages have upped their use of online connectivity, including using the internet for intimate connections, sex information and sexual experiences. COVID has shone a spotlight on the need for appropriate sexual health information.

"We know as youth sexual health experts that it is not healthy for the internet to be a child's source of sex education," explains Barb Thayer, Executive Director, Candor Health Education (formerly Robert Crown Center), Hinsdale, IL.

In fact, the majority of parents believe that sex education should be taught in schools. One study showed 85% of parents said it should be taught in middle school. Unfortunately, the pandemic created a situation in which kids had to seek other sources. A recent report showed that one-third of kids get their information from friends and another third identified digital spaces as their primary source. 

Evidence shows that educating children appropriately and early about sex and how to communicate about sex leads to better sexual health choices. Candor has been talking to kids for nearly 50 years, but the breadth of content has grown. "We still talk about puberty, but we also cover topics like sexting, consent, digital dating abuse and drug education," Thayer says.

Recent data shows that the Candor program works by providing students with useful tools for making decisions. Student examples after completing the Teen Sexual Health curriculum include:

• 94% of students accurately define 'consent is a verbal yes' to be given each time sexual contact occurs
• 94% of students identify possible outcomes of sexting: feelings of regret, messages being sent beyond intended recipients, and legal consequences.

Candor provides some of the most robust drug and sexual health education programs in the country, touching an average of 80,000 4^th- 8^th grade students in more than 600 schools each year.

Parents: Bring your questions about the how the pandemic impacted young people's attitudes about sex - and how to best talk to them about sex - to this Facebook Live event on Tuesday, April 27, 6:30 pm CT.

SOURCE Candor Health Education

Related Links

http:///www.candorhealth.org