Nearly one in five teens say the internet is their primary source of information about sexual health

Nearly one in five teens say the internet is their primary source of information about sexual health and healthy relationships, according to a survey.

Young people are turning to online resources to learn about relationships and sex, leaving them vulnerable to potentially “dangerous” and “untrustworthy” information, the charity Sex Education Forum has warned.

A poll of 1,001 16 and 17-year-old students in England revealed that 30% of young people use social media as their main source of information about their sexual orientation and gender identity before starting school (25%).

The survey, conducted in February by Censuswide on behalf of the charity, found that 22% of young people said the internet was their main source of access to pornography, while 15% said they cited pornography itself as their main source of access to pornography. source. topic.

About one in five people say social media and websites are their main source of information about unhealthy relationships (21%), healthy relationships (18%) and sexual health (18%).

Ignoring the perspectives of young people does harm to the next generation, as they rely on online sources of information that may not be trustworthy and fail to build healthy relationships

Lucy Emerson, CEO, Sex Education Forum

The findings have been shared with the PA after the government announced a review of statutory Relationships, Sexuality and Health Education (RSHE) guidance in schools more than a year ago.

Delegates attending the National Education Union’s annual conference last week warned that social media influencers such as Andrew Tate are exacerbating the sexism and misogyny young girls face in schools.

Sex Education Forum poll shows nearly half of pupils know nothing or learn anything at school about power imbalances in relationships (49%), pornography (49%) and how to access local sexual health services (46%) not enough.

More than two-fifths reported knowing nothing or not learning enough at school about the attitudes and behaviors of boys and men towards girls and women (44%) and gender identity (44%).

The charity’s report on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) said: “It is clear that schools lack confidence in teaching certain statutory but particularly taboo and politicized areas of the curriculum.

“The problem is that these gaps leave young people vulnerable to misinformation when seeking knowledge from online sources such as social media, or unable to access advice at all.”

It is extremely concerning that children turn to the internet for information about sex education and relationships as this information can be unreliable and harmful

Margaret Mulholland, Inclusion Specialist, ASCL

Last month, the Women and Equalities Commission said there was compelling evidence the RSE was “failing young people” as it warned of soaring rates of sexually transmitted diseases,

More than four-fifths (81%) of teenagers surveyed said they agreed primary school children should be taught the importance of consent around actions such as touching other people’s bodies, while 73% said they thought they should be warned about touching other people’s bodies . The dangers of pornography.

More than half (56%) said children should see examples of same-sex relationships in primary schools, including stories, scenarios and discussions, while 53% said children should understand what trans and non-binary people mean .

The survey shows that teenage girls are more likely than their male peers to believe that children should be taught the importance of consent in primary school (85% vs. 77%).

Since September 2020, interpersonal relationships and sex education have been made compulsory in secondary schools in England, while interpersonal relationships education has been made compulsory in primary schools.

In March last year, Rishi Sunak announced a review of RSHE guidance for schools amid concerns children were being exposed to “inappropriate” content.

But the Department for Education (DfE) has not yet issued a consultation on the guidance.

When asked to choose from a list of possible actions the government could take to help improve RSE, more than half called for teachers to be trained to increase confidence in the subject (57%) and for schools to be flexible in covering the age group segment of RSE topics their students need (52%).

Lucy Emmerson, chief executive of the Forum for Sexuality Education, said: “More than a year after announcing a review into the subject, we are still waiting for the government to publish its promised guidance on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). advisory and updated guidance.

“While we had hoped to roll out these plans after the Easter recess, Westminster has been delaying this critical review despite the increasingly complex relationship circumstances of young people and the well-documented harm affecting them, from sexual abuse and violence to poor sexual health.

“I was surprised to find that students felt that today’s biggest issues, including pornography and the attitudes of men and boys towards women and girls, were not being adequately addressed.

“Hearing young people seeking questionable and even dangerous information on channels such as social media to fill gaps on key topics should be a wake-up call that schools need to provide better services to keep students safe.

“The government must listen to young people and publish improved guidance tailored to their realities as soon as possible.”

The charity called on the government to prioritize flexible “age and stage” relevant content and provide more teacher training.

Ms Emerson added: “Ignoring young people’s views does a disservice to the next generation, as they rely on online sources of information that may not be trustworthy and fail to build healthy relationships.”

Margaret Mulholland, inclusion expert at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “It’s extremely worrying that children are turning to the internet for information about sex education and relationships because these Information may be unreliable and harmful.

“We are particularly concerned about the rise of misogyny online and its impact on the behavior of some young people.

“Schools play a vital role in providing reliable and responsible information about these issues through relationships, sexuality and health education programmes.

“However, they have received little support from the government in terms of resources and training and are expected to complete this sensitive and complex subject under tight timetables and severe funding pressures.”

A government spokesman said: “As part of the current review of the RSHE curriculum, we are looking at how certain topics can be reinforced in an age-appropriate and factual way.

“We want to keep all children safe online, so through our world-leading Online Safety Bill, social media companies are required to protect children from harmful material online, and the Education Secretary has recently taken strong action to ban Cell phones are used in schools.”