In summary: • There are big differences in how sexuality education is given at secondary schools in Norway.• Many students have been exposed to party-related abuse, which has led to an increased focus on preventive work and sexuality education in Horten.• Sex and politics are critical that sexuality education has not been given greater priority in the state budget for 2025.• Sexuality education is an important part of the preventive work against abuse, and there is a need for more explicitly formulated themes within this field, says team leader in Sex and politics, Vilde Graff Senje .• Positive sexuality, which is about building positive feelings around one’s own body and self-image, and learning about one’s own limits, is an important focus area in sexuality education, according to Graff Senje. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Almost every Monday, the health nurses were visited by students who had been exposed to party-related abuse. The majority of them were girls. In some cases, they had to drive the girls to the abuse center. Often they were exposed to abuse by their parents and friends, or someone they knew. So to speak, there was always alcohol involved in the stories. – Then we thought we had to work preventively, says health nurse Kim Haave. It’s right to say no Health care nurse Birgitte Trollsaas says that many students come to her and say that they have agreed to sexual activity that they really don’t want to take part in. – It is terribly sad. It is so important that young people learn that it is okay to say no, says Trollsaas. Because of the experience the health nurses had, they chose to create a scheme for first class at Horten secondary school. There they talk about boundary setting, consent and have a small talk about birth control. The pupils get several different cases, where they must discuss and reflect together. Teachers can register their class as part of the “Life Mastery subject”. A survey from Sex and society shows that most pupils want more and better sexuality education in school. Among other things, it will be pointed out that the teaching varies too much. The students in Horten say they are happy that they are getting that education, and point out that this is important. Michelle Flåten Barosen (15) – It is very important for young people. Many people have questions, but don’t dare to ask about such things. We had some sex education at primary and secondary school, but then people didn’t take it as seriously and we didn’t learn as much about it as we did here. Mariam Mukthar (16) – There are many young people who wonder about consent about sex, and there are many who look at porn instead of asking for help. It’s really nice that we have someone who talks about it at our school. The main focus of the scheme is about how the pupils can better take care of their boundaries when they are at a party, says Trollsaas. – We see it as very important for prevention. Being exposed to abuse can cause major problems for them later, adds Haave. Covers good mental and physical health In today’s secondary school curriculum, sexuality education is under “Public health and life management”. It states that the pupils must acquire skills that cover good mental and physical health. The relevant topics within the area include lifestyles, sexuality and gender, drugs, media use and the like. Public health and mastery of life Public health and mastery of life as an interdisciplinary theme in the school shall give the pupils competence that promotes good mental and physical health, and which gives the opportunity to make responsible life choices. In childhood and adolescence, the development of a positive self-image and a secure identity is particularly decisive. A society that facilitates good health choices for individuals has a lot to say for public health. Life mastery is about being able to understand and being able to influence factors that have something to say about mastering one’s own life. The theme should contribute to the pupils learning to handle success and adversity, and personal and practical challenges in the best possible way. Current areas within the theme are physical and mental health, lifestyle, sexuality and gender, drugs, media use, and consumption and personal finances. Value and the importance of meaning in life, interpersonal relationships, being able to set boundaries and respect others, and being able to handle thoughts, feelings and relationships also belong under this theme. Source: Norwegian Directorate of Education. More sexuality education 16 per cent of girls and 4 per cent of boys in secondary school have been exposed to abuse, figures from the Directorate of Health show. This roughly corresponds to five girls and one boy in a class of 30 people. Sex og Politikk supplies course material to half of Norwegian schools. Vilde Graff Senje is team leader for sexuality education, and is also a teacher. – We wish there were some topics within sexuality education that were more explicitly formulated. Vilde Graff Senje is team leader for sexuality education in Sex og Politikk, which is a non-profit and party-politically independent member organisation. Photo: Bettina Olie Bjerkholdt / news news has contacted several secondary schools. The answers show that it is quite different what the different schools have about sexuality education. – Are there no adults at work? Sexuality education is virtually absent from all budget items in the national budget for 2025. This disappoints the staff in the Sex and Politics office. – We ask quite clearly and clearly whether there are actually any adults at work, says Graff Senje. Both the Women’s Health Committee and the Rape Committee have conveyed that support and funds are needed for a boost in sexuality education. – There are concrete measures for that. So we saw a question mark in that it has not been given a higher priority in the budget this year. The Ministry of Education does not wish to be interviewed in this case. But write in an e-mail that the teaching should not be the same everywhere. – The most important thing is that the teachers and schools can adapt the teaching plan, and address current challenges, writes State Secretary Sindre Lysø. Sindre Lysø (Ap), State Secretary in the Ministry of Education. Photo: Jens Driveklepp He thinks it is great that the public health nurses contribute to the teaching of public health and coping with life, as they do in Horten. An important link in the preventive work One of the biggest public health problems that young people face in Norway is the risk of being exposed to abuse, Graff Senje tells Sex and politics. – That is why teaching is an incredibly important part of the preventive work. In addition, we want to focus on what we call positive sexuality. It’s about building up positive feelings about your own body and self-image, and learning about your limits. – If you learn about them, you learn to a greater extent to be able to respect others. In Horten, the health nurses hope that the teaching program will make the pupils safer. – We hope that the young people will take care of each other. It may also be that it becomes easier to ask for help when needed, says Trollsaas. Hi! Do you have any tips for this matter or suggestions for anything else in connection with sexuality education at school? Published 22.10.2024, at 19.18
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Health nurses strengthen sex education after several assaults – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
