FINAL TSTO Lesa Dec 14.pdf - Flipbook - Page 53
Everyone has the right to decide what sexual behaviours they are
happy to engage in, if any. They can also expect their friends and
sexual partners to respect those decisions.
Every young person has a right to information that will help them keep
safe and healthy, which includes information about avoiding pregnancy
and STIs.
Anyone, female and male, gay and straight, married or not, can
choose not to have sex at any time.
Having sex once does not mean you have to do it again.
Sex can lead to getting or giving an STI, or pregnancy. It’s important
to protect yourself. Oral sex won’t cause pregnancy but it can
spread STIs such as chlamydia. If a person has vaginal or anal sex,
condoms will stop the spread of most STIs but not others such as
genital warts and herpes.
Making good sexual decisions can be nearly impossible if a person
is drunk or high.
Kim: When my children start experimenting
with sexual behaviour, I want them to
really enjoy it, I want them to have
positive experiences and I want them to
feel empowered. And, you want to make
sure that it’s healthy, it’s safe, they’re not
pressured into it, but at the same time you
don’t want it to happen too young.
Jo: so it’s about more than just
knowing the facts of life.
Kim: It’s about being strong, assertive,
respecting yourself and other people.
— Parents of girls aged 14
‘The age of first sexual experience
continues to get lower, even as the
range of sexual activities widens … High
levels of pregnancy, sexually transmitted
infections (STIs), forced or pressured
sex and sexual assault among young
people suggest that current approaches to
preparing young people for sexually active
lives are limited...’ 16
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