[Access to digital pornography by children and teenagers: when should you be alerted?] / Accès à la pornographie numérique par les enfants et adolescent-es : quand s'alerter ?

Pornography and, more broadly, the consumption of sexually explicit images are not new phenomena. However, the rise of new technologies has significantly facilitated access to this type of content, especially among young people. In what family context does the use of digital tools occur? What are the stakes of exposure in children and adolescents? What impacts on psychosexual development? What are the reasons for the difficulty in restricting this behaviour? Is there an addictive dimension? Health professionals and trusted adults have a role to play, both in preventing exposure to unsolicited and potentially shocking content, and in opening up a dialogue in the case of problematic situations for the child or adolescent.

La pornographie et, de manière plus générale, la consommation d'images à caractère sexuel ne sont pas des phénomènes nouveaux. Cependant, l'essor des nouvelles technologies a considérablement facilité l'accès à ce type de contenu, notamment chez les jeunes. Dans quel contexte familial s'inscrit l'utilisation des outils numériques ? Quels sont les enjeux d'une exposition chez les enfants et les adolescent-es ? Quels sont les impacts sur le développement psychosexuel ? Quelles sont les raisons de la difficulté à restreindre ce comportement ? Existe-t-il une dimension addictive ? Les professionnel-les de la santé et les adultes de référence ont un rôle à jouer à la fois pour prévenir l'exposition à des contenus non sollicités et potentiellement choquants, et pour ouvrir le dialogue en cas de situation problématique pour l'enfant ou l'adolescent-e.

[Avenues for inclusive sexuality education based on sexual rights in medical consultations]. / Pistes pour une éducation sexuelle inclusive* basée sur les droits sexuels dans les consultations médicales.

In French-speaking Switzerland, sexuality education for children with special educational needs is unevenly developed in childcare institutions and schools. This limited access to sexuality education and the failure to take into account their sexual development are forms of discrimination against them. Sexuality is an integral part of the global health. Health professionals can contribute to the implementation of the right to sexuality education for children with special educational needs by considering consultations as opportunities for sexuality education according to their needs. This article presents some ideas from the holistic sexuality education based on sexual rights, in particular the rights to expression, to participation and to self-determination.

Dans les institutions d'accueil et les écoles de Suisse romande, les offres en matière d'éducation sexuelle sont inégalement développées pour les enfants ayant des besoins éducatifs particuliers. Cet accès limité à l'éducation sexuelle et la non-prise en compte de leur développement sexuel sont autant de formes de discrimination à leur égard. La sexualité fait partie intégrante de la santé globale. Les professionnel-les de santé peuvent contribuer à appliquer le droit à l'éducation sexuelle auprès des enfants en considérant les consultations comme des opportunités pour un échange pédagogique sur la sexualité selon leurs besoins. Cet article présente quelques pistes issues de l'éducation sexuelle holistique basée sur les droits sexuels, en particulier les droits à l'expression, à la participation et à l'autodétermination.

Does regretting first vaginal intercourse have an effect on young adults' sexual behaviour?

Background The aims of this research were to determine personal differences depending on the reason for regretting or not first vaginal intercourse and its effects on sexual behaviour later on among young adults, and to assess the association between reasons for engaging in first vaginal intercourse and regretting it. METHODS: Data were drawn from the 2017 Swiss national survey on youth sexual behaviours among young adults (mean age 26 years) living in Switzerland. Out of the 7142 participants, 4793 (51% females) answered the question 'Looking back now to the first time you had vaginal intercourse, do you think that…' with five possible answers: (1) I should not have done it (6.7%); (2) I should have waited longer (7.7%); (3) I should have done it earlier (7.4%); (4) It was about the right time (67.9%); and (5) I don't know (10.3%). The five groups were compared on sociodemographic and sex behaviour-related variables, analysed separately by gender. RESULTS: One-third of participants regretted their first experience. In the multivariate analysis, compared with the 'right time' group, all other groups were more likely to find their first experience unpleasant and to have done it with a casual partner. Those in the 'I should not have done it' and 'I should have waited longer' groups were also more likely to have done it because of external pressure, especially among females. CONCLUSIONS: The study results underline the significance to choose the right time and the right partner for first vaginal intercourse and the importance of including partner respect and avoiding external pressure as part of sexual education.

Does the Primary Resource of Sex Education Matter? A Swiss National Study.

Sex education (SE) remains a subject of debate, including controversies on resources. The purpose of this paper was to determine the main SE resource during adolescence and its associations with personal characteristics and sexual behaviors of youths. Data were obtained from a self-administrated Swiss national survey on sexuality among young adults (mean age 26.3). Participants (N = 4978) were divided into six groups according to their main SE resource during their adolescence: Friends (1939; 38.9%), Parents (1361; 27.3%), School (n = 949; 19.1%), The Internet (399; 8.0%), Nobody (172; 3.5%) and Other (157; 3.2%). Groups were compared on sociodemographic, first sexual experiences, pregnancy, risky sexual behaviors, and undesired sexual experiences data. Males and non-heterosexual participants were overrepresented in the Internet group while, females more often reported their parents as their main SE resource. Participants in the School group reported the lowest rates of sexually transmitted infections and Friends the highest. Compared to the School group, those in the Friends, Internet, Nobody, and Other groups were more likely to report undesired sexual experiences. Few differences appeared between parents and school. Even though some resources such as friends or the Internet presented negative outcomes when they were assessed individually, we cannot deny the important place that they occupy in the lives of some youths.