By Tanith Carey for the Daily Mail. As a young girl growing up, Zara Matthewson wanted to believe her first romantic relationship would be special, that the boy involved would respect and care for her. The reality was alarmingly different.
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A safe space for teen girls
These are the core obsessions that drive our newsroom—defining topics of seismic importance to the global economy. Our emails are made to shine in your inbox, with something fresh every morning, afternoon, and weekend. Americans have made a lot of progress in the way they teach and talk about sex. This ideological evolution is good news for young women in particular, who have historically born the brunt of the stigma surrounding sex out of wedlock. As attitudes toward premarital sex evolve, many parents, teachers, and other authorities have begun to emphasize safe sex and consent.
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Young women are turning to social media in search of nonjudgmental places to speak honestly about sexual violence in their daily lives. Teen girls, most of them stony-faced and looking tired, use the voiceover to soundtrack their own videos that all begin the same -- with them holding up 10 fingers, which then fall quick-fire like dominoes, as they document the various ways in which they've been harassed by boys and men. Been followed. Been repeatedly asked out after you already said no. If you subscribe to only one CNET newsletter, this is it. Get editors' top picks of the day's most interesting reviews, news stories and videos. Those stats and the reaction to those videos make it clear that sexual harassment and violence are common experiences for girls and women -- just look at the comments accusing them of lying, telling them "it's not that deep," even telling them they asked for it.
A primary school has come under fire from horrified parents after a health warning containing graphic sex tips was sent home with children as young as six. A letter containing a fact sheet urging parents to 'practise safer sex' was sent home with children by Ipswich West State School south-west of Brisbane last Friday. The note, signed by the principal and obtained by news. While the common infection often spreads due to contact sports or by sharing personal materials like razors, toys, towels and clothing, it can also spread by adults through sexual contact. Attached to the note sent home with pupils was a Queensland Health fact sheet on the infection which has very detailed and graphic descriptions of oral and anal sex. Ipswich West State School pictured has come under fire from mortified parents. Always using condoms with water-based lubricant when you have vaginal or anal sex is the best way to avoid getting an STI,' the fact sheet states. It does not matter whether you are male or female, if you put your mouth in contact with your partner's anus or vulva while having sex, you should use a dental dam.
