It's time we talked

It's not like it used to be, it's become a default educator for young people and it's a challenge we can't afford to ignore. #onlinesafety #parenting #sexualhealth #youngpeople #parentingskills

We're thrilled to hear that so many people are finding the 'P0rnography, young people and sexuality' online course so valuable in their work with young people. A huge thank you to all the young people and experts who graciously allowed us to share their interview footage in the course materials and to everyone who has completed the training and recommended it to their colleagues, friends and family members. And finally, thanks to the ITWT team who supported the development of this huge piece of work! https://lnkd.in/gjMFDxJ6

Many young people we have spoken with assume that strangulation will be pleasurable and safe – perhaps because it looks that way in porn or they know people who have done it and claim it is safe. But strangulation experts advise that there is no safe way to strangle – and the consequences are not just at the point of strangulation, but may occur in the minutes, hours, days, weeks and months that follow. There is a wide range of risks involved in strangulation (not just death), and the consequences are cumulative. Drawing on her extensive knowledge of the mechanics and physiology of strangulation, forensic medical examiner Dr Jane Van Diemen emphasizes that there is "no safe way to strangle." This is a message that young people need to hear as a matter of urgency. Visit the Breathless website breathlesscampaign.com to learn more about the campaign. #strangulation #sexualstrangulation #breathless #strangle #violenceagainstwomen #women #domesticviolence #gender #equality #AusPol

Strangulation has become a normalised sexual practice among young Australians (and around the world). The young people we’ve interviewed have described the practice as something they ‘expect’ to happen, often with no communication or consent, and that there’s a common assumption that it can be done safely. In a recent Melbourne University and The University Of Queensland study with 4,702 young Australians, over half (57%) of those surveyed reported being strangled by a partner during sex, and about half (51%) said they had strangled their partner during sex. The #Breathless campaign will seek to prevent the impacts of strangulation by raising awareness about the harms of sexual strangulation and supporting critical thinking about the cultural influences that promote and normalise it. A huge thank you to the incredible young people who shared their reflections on this issue with us so other young people can hear that there is no safe way to strangle. Read more about the new research here: https://lnkd.in/gMBs_-8i or visit the Breathless website breathlesscampaign.com to learn more about the upcoming campaign. University of Melbourne The University of Queensland Melbourne Law School UQ - School of Psychology

New research with 4,702 young Australians has confirmed what young people have been telling us for years: #strangulation has become a part of the sexual script for many young people, and most are unaware of the serious risks and harms for those who experience it. Young people need to hear that #sexualstrangulation is not something you can do safely. They need support to think critically about the influences – such as porn, social media and their partners and peers – that are shaping their sexual norms. We also need to make it easier for them to access information from more reputable and trustworthy sources. And we need to help them imagine and live into a sexuality that is safe, respectful, mutually pleasurable and fully consenting. #Breathless campaign, by It's time we talked, will seek to prevent the harms of strangulation by raising awareness of the dangers and supporting critical thinking among young people. Read more about the new research by University of Melbourne and The University of Queensland here: https://lnkd.in/gMBs_-8i or visit the Breathless website breathlesscampaign.com to learn more about the upcoming campaign.

This is appalling behaviour by the individual/s responsible for creating sexual #deepfake imagery of female students (who, during their school years, should be supported to grow into their full potential, not sexualised and demeaned). But it also points to important failures of policy, regulation and culture - in Australia and around the world. Tech companies have forged ahead with developments that are so utterly predictably being used to perpetuate gendered harms, with little regard for the consequences or for safety measures, and plenty of regard for profits. And governments and society have watched on and allowed big tech to shape culture (notwithstanding the impressive efforts of people like Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman - Grant). These cases speak volumes. Of individual culpability, yes. But also of how much work we have to do as a society to make these actions both less possible and less appealing. If we care about equality, safety and respect, we have to recognise that the industry is not going to self-regulate to prevent these harms. The market will not fix this problem. That is surely abundantly clear by now. This is a time for courageous leadership. https://lnkd.in/gQukeeuP

Autistic young people have a right to experience relationships and sexuality. The wonderful Jodi Rodgers said it best: Sexuality is part of who we are as humans. Historically, there has been a common assumption that some #autistic young people will not be interested in #relationships or sex. But this assumption leaves them at risk. Autistic young people are at higher risk of victimisation, and of being misunderstood or engaging in harm, so having people to talk with who will help understand puberty, relationships and #sexuality is a key protective factor for autistic young people. To learn about other ways to support the young people in your care, take a look at the resources available on our new website www.notthenorm.com.au

Thanks to Radio National for having me on to talk about our article released yesterday regarding Our Watch's research on young people's exposure to pornography. You can listen to the full 10 minute conversation here: https://lnkd.in/g2R38pfS  Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Our Watch Public Health Australia QUT (Queensland University of Technology)

Many schools and organisations are aware of the impacts that pornography is having on the young people they work with - and thankfully, more and more are also keen to implement a proactive approach to preventing the harms associated with pervasive and often-aggressive pornography. It’s time we talked has developed a suite of resources to support schools and community organisations to develop an approach to addressing pornography’s influence that is tailored to your community and context. If you’d like to learn how to advocate for your school to address pornography’s influence, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gfyDCHfs Sources: Our Watch 2020 Fritz et al, 2020 Office of Film and Literature Classification, 2019

Boys and young men are more likely than girls and young women to seek porn out and to watch it regularly. That's not to say that porn is less likely to impact on girls and young women - porn's often indirect impact on them can be huge. Which is all the more reason to better understand and address pornography's influence on boys and young men. For many, porn has become a default sexuality educator. To be clear, it is a terrible sex educator(!) - the most popular content normalises and eroticises themes such as incest, forced sex, hidden camera, gendered aggression and racism, just to name a few (if you don't believe me, take a look at the titles on the home page of any major porn site). But simply saying 'don't watch it' is not going to be effective. We need a whole suite of approaches to prevent its harms. That includes that we need to support young people to think critically about pornography and its influence, to help them make more informed decisions about what they do or don't watch and about their own sexual expectations and experiences. But we also need to do better at preventing access, particularly to the most egregious content, and particularly for the many children and young people whose exposure to pornography is (at least initially) unintentional. Education is absolutely key, but it is only part of the solution. It's great to see this article about the role that porn is playing in boys and young men's lives. If we're serious about supporting young people to navigate relationships that are respectful, equal, safe, consenting and pleasurable, we need to do better at addressing pornography's influence. Michael Flood