Empowering Women through Sex Education Scarlyn Gutierrez

Living in London

Young People in London (2007) Focused on the idea that London had a high teenage repeat abortion rate during the time of the research  The misconception about abortion “Our review of the research has indicated that there is still much to be done in terms of targeting contraceptive and sexual health services towards ‘hot spot’ areas”

Research Questions  In London, does socio-economic background limit girls’ abilities to gain knowledge about their bodies and the proper information through sex education?  Young girls from lower socio-economic background would have less access to proper education and therefore would not gain all the knowledge they need to know about sex to make rational decisions  What does sex education highlight about the British culture and its norms?

British Social Survey (2014) Do you think the law should allow an abortion when … … the woman's health is seriously endangered by the pregnancy? … the woman decides on her own she does not wish to have the child? Religion -Catholics are the least accepting The non-religious are the most supportive of all (73 per cent). Generations now are more supportive of abortion than they were in 1983 Education – In general, the lowest level of support is found among those with no qualifications; beyond that the level of qualification makes little difference.

SRE Student Survey (2014)  Online survey about the Sex & Relationships Education Program  2502 students from the UK were picked from the National Union Student Survey database

Hackney in London (2015) Highest teenage pregnancy in London during the year of 2008 Community wanted to change the statistics Approach was different than other programs created

“The Abortion Diary” Podcast

What are some of the stigmas that come with abortion? What are the challenges that come with talking about sex, it being both a public and private matter? How can we as future leaders create a healthy dialogue about sex or issues that are negatively portrayed in society?

My Findings  Young girls from lower socio-economic backgrounds would have less access to proper education therefore would not gain all the knowledge they need to know about sex in order to make rational decisions  Socio-economic background link to education  Access to the information about sex existed  Young girls from lower socio-economic backgrounds = not confident enough to ask questions in class or speak to their parents about it  What does sex education highlight about the British culture and its norms ?  British people do not like talking about anything that feels too personal

What does sex education have to do with leadership?

Credits British Social Survey National Student Survey halved-teenage-pregnancy-rates-haringey halved-teenage-pregnancy-rates-haringey