IT’S TIME ... TO TALK ABOUT IT!
Your voice. Our future. Prevent sexual violence.
It’s time ... to talk about it! Your voice. Our future. Prevent sexual violence.
Sexuality is more than sex. Healthy
sexuality affects us on emotional, cultural,
physical, and social levels. Sexuality is a part
of each person, but it doesn’t stop there.
Communities and society as a whole are
impacted by the ways we talk about sex.
Think about the messages that have been
shared with you about sex and sexuality. Do you
think this information has been positive and
helpful? What would you have liked to learn or
see others learn?
Consider unhealthy messages and behaviors
you have seen or heard. Take time to recognize
negative or unhelpful information that you might
need to unlearn or challenge.
You can be an agent of change
Understanding what healthy sexuality looks and
feels like is an important part of creating a vision
for social change.
Can you picture what your life, family, friends,
school, and community would look like if everyone
felt supported in working toward healthy
sexuality? How would people be treated?
What would be different in your life if people
treated one another with respect and challenged
unhealthy messages?
Creating a vision for social change can inspire
us to act in positive ways. There are many benefits
when young people are involved as leaders
in social change efforts. Involved youth gain
experience and confidence, and the skills and
leadership that young people develop broaden
their future opportunities (Klindera & Menderweld,
2001). Your involvement and investment also
strengthens the programs and outreach of
organizations working to prevent sexual violence.
How to become an agent of change
Know your power. Your voice is valuable and
influential. As a young person, you are in a key
position to reach your peers with information
and insight that impacts their lives. It’s important
for adults and communities to learn from the
voices and experiences of you and your peers.
Engage peers and build a network. Social
change takes time and teamwork. You can bring
friends along, ask for help, and inspire others to
get involved. You can have a positive influence
by being a role model of healthy behaviors.
Partner with supportive adults. You can also
build relationships with trusted adults for support.
In a healthy partnership, both adults and young
people learn from and teach one another. All
voices are given space and respect. Adult allies
can be members of your family, neighborhood,
community, school or faith group.
Connect with your community. It’s important
to discover resources in your community. You
could learn that there already are individuals and
organizations working in your community to make
a positive impact. Programs such as your local
rape crisis center are a great place to uncover
opportunities to volunteer, intern, and participate.
Seek out resources. No one has all of the
answers, but we don’t have to look far to find great
resources. There are helpful tools available online,
such as the Healthy sexuality resource list. Think
of other places where you can get help looking for
information, like the library and trusted adults.
Take a stand against oppression. Social
change is about shifting negative dynamics,
and it’s important to remember how issues are
connected. Oppression takes place whenever
one group has power over another, and often
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