For Sexual Health Week 2022, e-wellbeing is celebrating the theme of ‘Breaking Barriers’; from the 10th to 16th October, we’ll be highlighting the importance of positive sexual health through building awareness and breaking down stigma.
Many young people struggle to access sexual health information, support, and resources. This can affect youth wellbeing and mental health, as it can lead to taking unnecessary risks or not seeking the support they need.
Some common barriers to youth sexual wellbeing include:
- Feeling embarrassed about accessing services or discussing sexual health
- Being worried about family members or friends finding out
- Not knowing how or where to find free or affordable sexual health services and resources
- Misinformation and lack of representation for healthy sex and relationships
- Lack of understanding about sexual health and young people who identify as LGBTQIA+, are neurodivergent, or are part of ethnic minority groups
At e-wellbeing, we believe that every young person should feel empowered and able to make informed decisions about their sexual health and wellbeing. Young people should always feel able to express themselves safely, whether they decide to engage in sexual relationships or not. Sexual health is just as important as mental and physical health and looking after our sexual wellbeing is a form of self-care!
As part of the e-wellbeing Youth Podcast, we teamed up with WiSE Ambassadors to discuss young people’s thoughts on relationships, including communication, boundaries and taboos. Watch the video below to listen to a sneak peak, then click here to listen to the full episode!
To find more information about sexual wellbeing, including building healthy relationships, practising self-care, contraception, and where to find support, check out our Relationships & Sexual Health module here.
