Nearly a fifth of teens say the internet is their main source for information about sexual health and healthy relationships, a survey shows.
Young people are turning to online resources to find out about relationships and sex, leaving them vulnerable to potentially “dangerous” and “unreliable” information, the charity Sex Education Forum has warned.
A poll of 1,001 pupils aged 16 and 17 in England found that 30% of young people turned to social media before school as their main source of information about sexual orientation and gender identity (25%).
The research, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of the charity in February, found that 22% of young people said the internet was their main source of information about pornography, while 15% said they turned to pornography itself as their main source of information about pornography. the subject.
About a fifth said social media and websites were their main source of information about unhealthy relationships (21%), healthy relationships (18%) and sexual health (18%).
The findings, shared with the PA news agency, come after the government announced a review of its statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) for schools more than a year ago.
Delegates at the National Education Union’s annual conference warned last week that social media influencers such as Andrew Tate are contributing to a rise in sexism and misogyny faced by young girls in schools.
The Sex Education Forum poll shows that almost half of students were not taught at all or not enough at school about power imbalances in relationships (49%), porn (49%) and how to access local sexual health care ( 46%).
More than two in five indicate that they learned nothing or too little at school about the attitude and behavior of boys and men towards girls and women (44%) and about gender identity (44%).
The relationship and sex education (RSE) charity’s report said: “It is clear that schools have little confidence in delivering certain parts of the curriculum that are legally required but are largely taboo and politicized.
“The problem is that these gaps leave young people vulnerable to misinformation as they seek knowledge from online sources such as social media, or do not have access to advice at all.”
Last month the Committee for Women and Equality said there was compelling evidence that RSE was “letting young people down” as it warned of rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases,
More than four in five (81%) of teens surveyed said they agreed that primary school children should be taught about the importance of consent for things like touching someone else’s body, while 73% said they believed they needed to be warned about the harmful effects of pornography.
More than half (56%) said children should see examples of same-sex relationships – included in stories, scenarios and discussions – in primary schools, while 53% said children should learn what trans and non-binary mean .
Teenage girls were more likely to believe that children should be taught about the importance of consent in primary school than their male peers (85% compared to 77%), the survey found.
Since September 2020, relationship and sex education has been compulsory in secondary schools in England, while relationship education is compulsory in primary schools.
In March last year, Rishi Sunak announced a review of the RSHE guidelines for schools following concerns that children were being exposed to “inappropriate” content.
But the Department for Education (DfE) is yet to publish a consultation on the guidelines.
When asked to choose from a list of possible actions the government could take to help improve RSE, more than half called for training for teachers to develop greater confidence in the subject (57%) , and flexibility for schools to cover RSE topics by age. that their students need (52%).
Lucy Emmerson, CEO of the Sex Education Forum, said: “More than a year after announcing a review of the issue, we are still waiting for the Government to release its promised consultation and updated guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). to give.
“While we hope this launch will follow the Easter recess, Westminster has postponed this critical review, despite the increasingly complex relationship landscape for young people and the well-documented harms affecting them, from sexual abuse and violence to poor sexual health.
“I am alarmed to see that students feel that today’s biggest issues, including pornography and the attitudes of men and boys towards women and girls, are not being adequately addressed.
“Hearing that young people are seeking out questionable or even dangerous information on channels like social media to fill gaps on important topics should be a wake-up call that schools need better facilities for the safety of our students.
“The government must heed the voices of young people and release improved guidance that takes into account their realities – and soon.”
The charity is calling on the government to prioritize flexible, age- and stage-relevant content and offer more teacher training.
Ms Emmerson added: “Ignoring the views of young people does a disservice to the next generation by leaving them dependent on potentially unreliable online sources for information and ill-equipped for healthy relationships.”
Margaret Mulholland, inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “It is extremely worrying that children are using the internet for information about sex education and relationships as this information can be unreliable and harmful.
“We are particularly concerned about the rise of online misogyny and the impact this is having on the behavior of some young people.
“Schools play a crucial role in providing reliable and responsible information on these issues through their relationships, sex education and health education programs.
“However, they have been poorly supported by the government in terms of resources and training and are expected to deal with this sensitive and complex topic within busy timescales and under heavy funding pressure.”
A government spokesperson said: “As part of the current review of the RSHE curriculum, we are looking at where certain topics can be reinforced, in an age-appropriate and factual way.
“We want to ensure that all children are safe online and that is why social media companies, through our landmark Online Safety Act, are required to protect children from exposure to harmful material online, and the Secretary of State for Education has recently taken strong action by banning of mobile phone use in schools.”