It’s time to take the lead in talking about sex Annette Milligan Health Click

1. www.healthclick.co.nz It’s time to take the lead in talking about sex • Annette Milligan • Health Click • www.healthclick.co.nz

2. www.healthclick.co.nz Annette Milligan • Family – brother, nephew • Culture • Trained teacher • CCS • Registered Nurse • INP Medical Clinic • Health Click • SAATS • Safeguarding Children Initiative

3. www.healthclick.co.nz Barriers to Sexuality Education • Cultural barriers – very difficult to talk about sexuality in many cultures: e.g. English-speaking, Pacifica, Asian • Personal barriers – high rates of sexual abuse & sexual assault in NZ • Legislative until 1991 • Curriculum – sexuality education/PE • Resourcing – still not given high priority in budgets

4. www.healthclick.co.nz Reasons for Vulnerability • Impaired judgment & understanding • Lack of inter-personal skills • Lack of education – informal & formal • Communication difficulties • Live in high risk environments • Frequent contact with unscrupulous care-givers, transport providers, friends, family • Abusers are attracted to their environment

5. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Sexual abuse • Compelling evidence that people with intellectual disabilities are abused alarmingly high rates

6. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Sexual abuse • Compelling evidence that people with intellectual disabilities are abused alarmingly high rates • More than 90% will experience some sexual abuse in their lifetime

7. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Sexual abuse • Compelling evidence that people with intellectual disabilities are abused alarmingly high rates • More than 90% will experience some sexual abuse in their lifetime • 80% sexually abused more than once

8. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Sexual abuse • Compelling evidence that people with intellectual disabilities are abused alarmingly high rates • More than 90% will experience some sexual abuse in their lifetime • 80% sexually abused more than once • 49% will experience 10 or more abusive incidents

9. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Sexual abuse • Compelling evidence that people with intellectual disabilities are abused alarmingly high rates • More than 90% will experience some sexual abuse in their lifetime • 80% sexually abused more than once • 49% will experience 10 or more abusive incidents • Alarmingly apparent lack of action & resources to address the problem

10. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? • Other studies suggest 68% of girls with developmental disabilities and 30% of boys with developmental disabilities will be sexually abused before their eighteenth birthday. According to research 15,000 to 19,000 people with developmental disabilities are raped each year in the United States Sosbey, Dick 1994

11. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Prevention of future perpetrators • Abusers are always those who have been abused

12. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Prevention of future perpetrators • Abusers are always those who have been abused • Intellectually disabled people who are the victims of sexual abuse themselves learn aberrant patterns of sexuality

13. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? Prevention of future perpetrators • Abusers are always those who have been abused • Intellectually disabled people who are the victims of sexual abuse themselves learn aberrant patterns of sexuality • If we want to protect people in the future, we have to start now

14. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? It’s a human right • To have knowledge

15. www.healthclick.co.nz Education works • It is of great significance in reducing vulnerability to sexual assault to note the research finding that sex education for people with an intellectual disability is negatively correlated with the incidence of sexual abuse (McCabe 1992). That is, those with more knowledge about sexual behavior are less likely to be victimised.

16. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? It’s a human right • To have knowledge

17. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? It’s a human right • To have knowledge • To be safe

18. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? It’s a human right • To have knowledge • To be safe • To have a fulfilled life

19. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? It’s a human right • To have knowledge • To be safe • To have a fulfilled life • To have a sexual life

20. www.healthclick.co.nz Why should we take the lead in talking about sex? It’s a human right • To have knowledge • To be safe • To have a fulfilled life • To have a sexual life • To reach personal potential

21. www.healthclick.co.nz What is sexuality? • Sexuality is the lens of being a male or female through which a person views and responds to the world. There are biological, genetic, medical, social, educational, psychological, spiritual, cultural and legal aspects to sexuality and these differ depending upon where, when and how you live, who is raising you and what is personally important to each individual.

22. www.healthclick.co.nz What is sexuality? • Gender

23. www.healthclick.co.nz What is sexuality? • Gender • Sexual orientation

24. www.healthclick.co.nz What is sexuality? • Gender • Sexual orientation • Behaviour - what we do - how we dress - how we move - who we choose to be with

25. www.healthclick.co.nz Can we take the lead? • Yes we can • If we • See the problem • Learn what to do • Grasp the nettle • Just do it!

26. www.healthclick.co.nz Start with the young • Begin with using the correct words

27. www.healthclick.co.nz Start with the young • Begin with using the correct words • Start before the child or young person understands your embarrassment

28. www.healthclick.co.nz Start with the young • Begin with using the correct words • Start before the child or young person understands your embarrassment • Keep the learning at pace with development

29. www.healthclick.co.nz Start with the young • Begin with using the correct words • Start before the child or young person understands your embarrassment • Keep the learning at pace with development • Make sure that everyone is consistent

30. www.healthclick.co.nz Start with the young • Begin with using the correct words • Start before the child or young person understands your embarrassment • Keep the learning at pace with development • Make sure that everyone is consistent • Never ignore inappropriate behaviour – set the boundaries early in life

31. www.healthclick.co.nz You don’t have to do this alone • There is help • Psychologists • Claire Ryan - Diversity Works • Family Planning Association • “Me”

32. www.healthclick.co.nz Questions? Thank you