Media

Many students polled resort to the internet for information due to the inadequate education provided in classrooms. Recently, a national survey conducted by LetsStopAIDS, a youth-driven Canadian charity aiming to raise awareness about HIV , found that Canadian youth are dissatisfied with the quality of sexual education they received. The findings were derived from 1,090 Canadians aged between 18 and 24 represented in the LetsStopAIDS Sex Lives Report 2023 . LetsStopAIDS–a Toronto-based think tank aimed to understand the youth’s relationship with their sexuality, knowledge of HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention, and experiences with sex education through the survey.  Traditional methods hinder sex-education "Our findings were loud and clear,” ​​Gabrial Brown, a research analyst at LetsStopAIDS, told CBC's Edmonton AM . “The conventional methods of addressing sexuality are obsolete, more so in today's age that values equality, diversity, and respect." The findings implied that traditional methods of addressing sexuality in classrooms, for instance, were outdated and stressed that a more comprehensive and positive approach to sexual education is needed.  Brown noted that although sex education supplied students with a wealth of scientific information, it significantly lacked practical knowledge and skills, leaving those surveyed with unresolved queries. Alluding to sex education, the report asserted that abundant scientific information on topics such as anatomy, pregnancy, and STIs was provided, but the classes heavily lacked practical knowledge or skills that could be applied in real life. Two out of three young Canadians surveyed felt that sex-ed did not prepare them for sex. For example, the respondents believed that the sex-ed curriculum was stigmatized and “abstinence-focused,” which may have originated from teachers' discomfort with the topic of sex. Key findings Additionally, less than five percent of respondents recalled being taught about other main HIV prevention methods, such as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) in their sex-ed classes. The report found that 19 percent of Canadian youth also recollected learning about gender identity, while 37 percent felt that sex-ed mainly emphasized abstinence. Findings also noted a significant decrease in condom usage since 2020. A total of 33 percent of sexually active Canadian youth mentioned not using condoms during sex in the past six months.  The percentage of youth who consistently used condoms during intercourse dropped from 53 percent in 2020 to 23 percent in 2023. Even though platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are widely used, only a limited percentage of young respondents–19 percent and 15 percent, respectively relied on social media platforms for sexual health information.  Instead, many resorted to the internet for information due to the inadequate education provided in classrooms. Regarding STI and HIV testing , a significant 80 percent of young Canadians did not undergo regular testing in the past six months. Although, 27 percent of young Canadians diagnosed with STI(s) and/or HIV did not receive necessary treatment. Finn St Dennis, a research and evaluation manager for the Queer and Trans Health Collective in Edmonton, expressed that the findings of the report did not come as a surprise.  He cited the report, saying that many issues discussed are seen in Edmonton because of differences in sex education. The Queer and Trans Health Collective hears about these challenges from community members who face similar problems as their straight and cisgender peers. "They're also facing additional barriers when you have teachers that aren't teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity, and aren't necessarily comfortable or prepared to have those conversations," the report stated. The report was initiated to enable improved communication with the government to improve sex-ed curriculum in Canada, according to Brown. CBC stated that without the engagement, young Canadian individuals will continue to experience rising STI rates and retain knowledge gaps about sex.  Brown said: "It's such a crucial and dire situation. This is a real problem we need to address in Canada." View full report here .

Canada’s largest youth-HIV leadership event is back… NoTimeToWait by LetsStopAIDS is back for a 4th year with a hybrid event on Friday October 20th and Saturday October 21st at the TMU Student Centre in Toronto! Tickets are free for ages 21 and under and available for youth across the world. It’s set to be an inspiring and invigorating event, bringing together a community of passionate youth. Along with the event, LetsStopAIDS is releasing the illuminating results of this year’s Sex Lives report that focuses on the state of sex education in Canada.    “ Flip the Switch “ NoTimeToWait was born out of a desire to take action about the rising Youth-HIV rates in Canada and is the nation’s largest Youth-HIV leadership event. This year’s theme is “Flip the Switch.” It’s all about inspiring change by shedding light on HIV-related issues and changing the narrative around HIV  and AIDS. This year’s event will be jam-packed with inspiring speakers, storytellers, performers, artists, workshops, networking, and social events! You’ll hear from like-minded people on topics related to health equity, dating, sex, and relationships. The event will feature even more youth this year who have never had the opportunity to take up space at an event of this scale before. Meet A Few Of This Year’s Speakers This year NoTimeToWait by LetsStopAIDS has so many passionate and brilliant speakers… but here’s just a few. Head to the NoTimeToWait’s website  for the full lineup.  Arihant Boli (he/him) Arihant Boli is an optimistic leader, who believes in the power of youth involvement & technology to help end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, depicted in his HIV advocacy ventures, such as the co-founder of SexWell & the Community Outreach team-lead at LetsStopAIDS.  Risa Naytowhow (she/her) ICARE Coordinator (Intercultural Connections and Anti-racism engagement) Risa Naytowhow is a Cree woman from Sturgeon Lake First Nations Saskatchewan. She is an anti-racism educator and the coordinator for a program called “ICARE” which educates about decolonization and anti-racism. Juliet Joslyn Amoli (she/her) Social Scientist Juliet Joslyn Amoli is a social scientist from Makerere University in Uganda. Juliet is passionate about leadership, skilling and HIV prevention advocacy among young people. She has vast experience as a sexual reproductive health advocate, researcher, gender and development practitioner. Eva Bloom (they/she) Sex Educator & Speaker Eva Bloom is an award-winning non-binary, queer sex educator and speaker. They have spoken at institutions including Cornell University and the University of Toronto and educated over 3 million people across the globe via their digital platform. Tim Lagman (he/they) Tim Lagman is a board certified sexology educator with the American Board of Sexology and a pleasure advocate based in Toronto, Canada. He began his sexual journey through escorting where he worked with a number of clients from different backgrounds and all walks of life ranging from couples, individuals, poly relationships, and everything in between. It is his mission in life to make sex fun and funny as he loves to make people laugh and believes in the curative powers of hilarity. Sex Lives Report ⁠ Last year, LetsStopAIDS inaugural Sex Lives Report took the temperature on the state of sex among youth, with a focus on understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sexual behaviour of young Canadians. The main findings showed that the pandemic had a significant impact on their sex lives. We also found that knowledge of HIV prevention methods is very low – only 26% of youth know about PrEP, 20% know about PEP, and only 11% know what U=U is. LetsStopAIDS is excited to share the results of  this year’s Sex Lives Report  that focuses on the state of sex education in Canada. This enlightening report found that Canadian Youth felt that Sex-Ed classes provided them with an abundance of scientific information on anatomy, pregnancy and STIs, but it severely lacks practical knowledge or skills that may be used in real life. For example, 2 out of 3 young Canadians surveyed felt that Sex-Ed did not make them feel prepared for sex, and less than 5% remember being taught about other main HIV prevention methods such as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)  and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis).  The results of both of these reports highlight the importance of empowering youth to “Flip the Switch.” ⁠ Get Involved  ⁠ There are so many ways to get involved with NoTimeToWait: you can volunteer, be an ambassador, a sponsor, or partner. It’s a great opportunity to be a changemaker in your community, build your leadership skills, and earn certificates to add to your resume! Take a deep dive with us into how HIV affects young Canadians and help LetsStopAIDS achieve their goal of zero new infections by 2030. There is no time to wait. Visit  letsstopaids.org  for more information. View full article here.

A survey of Canadian youth has found sex-ed curriculums lacks practical knowledge and skills to help them prepare for safe sex. As health reporter Katherine Ward explains, the report also suggests more young people are engaging in riskier behaviour. Watch Global News Video Here