Sexual Education for students with severe and profound disabilities Jennifer Schroeder, SESA Multiple Disability Specialist

Objectives Participants in this presentation will learn: Participants in this presentation will learn: Why it is important to teach students with severe and profound disabilities sexual education Why it is important to teach students with severe and profound disabilities sexual education How to decide what materials to cover with students How to decide what materials to cover with students Ideas on how to present sexual education materials to students Ideas on how to present sexual education materials to students View a sample of materials that can be used to teach sexual education to students View a sample of materials that can be used to teach sexual education to students

Why teach sex education to students with severe and profound disabilities ? Help prevent sexual abuse Help prevent sexual abuse Help prevent sexual abuse Help prevent sexual abuse Give students a sense of ownership over their own bodies Give students a sense of ownership over their own bodies Teach students boundaries Teach students boundaries Teach students boundaries Teach students boundaries Improve self-esteem Improve self-esteem Lessen fear and discomfort regarding natural body functions Lessen fear and discomfort regarding natural body functions Lessen fear and discomfort regarding natural body functions Lessen fear and discomfort regarding natural body functions Improve student communication Improve student communication

How to decide what to cover with students. Materials should be presented at a chronologically, age appropriate level Materials should be presented at a chronologically, age appropriate level Create developmentally appropriate materials for the chronological age-based lessons Create developmentally appropriate materials for the chronological age-based lessons Start with basic information and slowly build on it Start with basic information and slowly build on it Teach students the right to refuse and the right to privacy Teach students the right to refuse and the right to privacy

How to present topics to your students. Use visuals Use visuals Use clear and precise (and correct) language Use clear and precise (and correct) language Use frequent repetition Use frequent repetition Provide practice opportunities Provide practice opportunities Provide the needed communication to students in whatever form they communicate (pictures, SGD, verbally) Provide the needed communication to students in whatever form they communicate (pictures, SGD, verbally) Use task analysis for more complicated tasks Use task analysis for more complicated tasks

Statistics of Sexual Abuse of People with Disabilities In a study of 95 adults with disabilities 83% of females and 32% of males had been sexually abused (Hard, 1986) In a study of 95 adults with disabilities 83% of females and 32% of males had been sexually abused (Hard, 1986) In a study of 162 people with disabilities 80% experienced some form of sexual assault and 49% were assaulted more than 10 times (Sobsey and Doe, 1991) In a study of 162 people with disabilities 80% experienced some form of sexual assault and 49% were assaulted more than 10 times (Sobsey and Doe, 1991) In a study of 27 adults 80% of females and 54% of males had been sexually abused (Stromness, 1993) In a study of 27 adults 80% of females and 54% of males had been sexually abused (Stromness, 1993) 68% of girls and 30% of boys are sexually abused or assaulted prior to the age of 18 (Sobsey, 2001) 68% of girls and 30% of boys are sexually abused or assaulted prior to the age of 18 (Sobsey, 2001) back

Teach Students Boundaries Students need to be aware of the appropriate boundaries for a variety of settings Students need to be aware of the appropriate boundaries for a variety of settings School, home, community, travel into larger communities School, home, community, travel into larger communities Teaching boundaries allows students to act more appropriately with their same age peers Teaching boundaries allows students to act more appropriately with their same age peers back

Lessen fear and discomfort regarding natural body functions Puberty is going to happen to students with severe disabilities when they are chronologically ready, not developmentally ready Puberty is going to happen to students with severe disabilities when they are chronologically ready, not developmentally ready Prepare females for developing breasts and getting their period Prepare females for developing breasts and getting their period Prepare males for spontaneous erections and wet dreams Prepare males for spontaneous erections and wet dreams back