Sex ed is missing something key for kids who’ve endured sexual trauma

The internet has changed how kids learn about sex, but sex ed in the classroom still sucks. In Sex Ed 2.0, Mashable explores the state of sex ed and imagines a future where digital innovations are used to teach consent, sex positivity, respect, and responsibility.

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When some parents and educators talk to kids about sex ed, they might rely on a common but ugly analogy about gum. Imagine your virginity, they say, as a stick of gum; once it’s been chewed, no one wants it. 

That prospect might scare some children into abstinence, but it also does something unexpected, something no adult could possibly want for a young person. An analogy rooted in shame intensifies the often secret agony of sexual abuse or assault, making it even more difficult for victims to bear.  Read more…

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