Social Democrats Political Director Anne-Marie McNally has said that today’s Youth Work Ireland report showing that youngsters increasingly turn to the internet rather than parents or teachers shows how important it is for us to radically overhaul how we, as a society, talk about sex.
Ms McNally said:
“Yet again we are faced with stark evidence that the sexual education provided to our youngsters is simply not good enough. That 20% of youngsters reported finding pornography as a useful training tool is hugely concerning.
“Pornography cannot be considered as a healthy way in which to learn about sex. Instead of comprehensive holistic sexual and relationships education our youngsters are increasingly relying on a distorted, fake-news version of sex by using pornography as a training aid.”
Ms McNally added:
“The stigma associated with having healthy open conversations about sexual activity and relationships must be removed so that parents, teachers and youngsters become comfortable discussing this vitally important aspect of everyday life.
“That’s why the Social Democrats recently launched #letstalkaboutsex alongside our Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy which recognises Ireland as a modern society capable of having mature conversations about sex without the need for embarrassment.”
ENDS
23 April 2018