A report was done that looked at the what people with learning disabilities thought about sex and relationships.
It was done by CHANGE, a national organisation that fights for the rights of people with a learning disability
After talking with lots of people who have a learning disability they wrote a report on what they found.
Most people knew the difference between PUBLIC and PRIVATE
Some people knew a lot about sex and some knew very little.
Everyone thought sex education for people with learning disabilities needed to be better. It should look at relationships and not just sex. It needed to be done in groups and people should have the chance to do it again if they were still unsure.
Most people knew what GAY and LESBIAN meant.
3 people thought that it was against the law for gay people to have sex.
Some people felt embarrassed talking about sex and masturbation.
Some people even thought they could get into trouble talking about sex.
Some people said they learnt about sex and relationships from TV and the internet. Most people were happy to go to their doctor if they had any questions about sex.
Some young people did not know much about puberty and pregnancy and found it scary when their body changed
Most people knew what condoms were for and where to get them
Information about sex needs to be more accessible. People with learning disabilities need more support about sex and relationships.
Parents of people with learning disabilities should get more support about this as well. There should be more chances for people to meet with friends and be more independent.
People should see sex education for people with learning disabilities as important. Professionals who work with people with learning disabilities need more training about sex education.
The End