We should be worried about our teenagers.

The scary facts are that one in six 12-24 year olds think “women should know their place”, and one in three think that ‘exerting control over someone isn’t a form of violence’.

These are some of the findings from a survey of over 3000 young men and women, which also found that more than a quarter of young people think “male verbal harassment” and “pressure for sex” toward females are “normal” practices.

When I was growing up, any conversation around sex and relationships with an adult made my skin crawl; awkwardness only begins to describe it, but I’m glad someone took the time to have them with me because they taught me that healthy relationships are based on respect.

The truth is that these days parents aren’t talking to their children about relationships and sex, and beyond the basics, it’s not being adequately covered through the education system. I understand that knowing how to put a condom on a banana, and the difference between the vans deferens and the fallopian tubes is important, but it’s just as important that you people learn about consent, sexual boundaries, and the behaviours of a respectful relationship.

Without this information young people are turning to their friends, pornography, media and celebrities, who are not always the greatest role models.

– by Luke Ablett

Source: Challenging the Violence Supportive Attitudes of our Young People I News.com.au