Providing sex education for young migrants in Sweden
Description
Research has shown that migrant groups are extra vulnerable to sexual risk-taking and sexual risk-exposure, language barriers and lack of sex education in countries of origin. RFSU therefore created an educational material, that maintained RFSU’s foundational perspectives of openness, pleasure and anti-discrimination. The result was Sexuality education in simpler Swedish. It is a 230 page material that combines Swedish language-education with sexuality education, and it includes methods on themes such as; safer sex, lust and pleasure, gendered norms, honour-based violence, consent, reproduction and rights. The material has led to increased knowledge among young migrants.
Immigrants in Sweden is a highly diverse group, with a multitude of cultures, experiences, knowledge and perspectives when it comes to sexuality and sexual health. However, research has shown that it is a group with a overrepresentation from countries where they are not offered sexuality education in school, where access to sexual and reproductive health services are limited, and they share the experience of migration with has a largely negative impact on sexual health. Research has also shown that migrant groups are extra vulnerable to both sexual risk-taking and sexual risk-exposure.<br />
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Objectives of the practice has been professionals working towards migrants so that they can have the knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), anti-racial work, knowledge on LGBTI, how they can be sex-positive and knowledge on relevant laws.<br />
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Challenges we have met is structures in the Swedish society related to education for immigrants, equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and honour related oppression and violence. These structures have been found to have a negativ impact on how to work with immigrants in respect to sexuality education.<br />
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By having the focus on these structures, we have been able to circumvent them and thereby mitigating the negative effects for migrants. Sexuality education in simpler Swedish has been important also. Education material that has been developed together with the target groups.<br />
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There are wide-spread negative stereotypes in Sweden regarding migrants and sexuality. The project has been a way to change and to confront the negative steretoypes via education and through our experiences working sex-positive via comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).<br />
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In 2018 we met 1745 young migrants, 175 adult migrants and educated 777 professionals working with migrants. We have also spread our material to over 3000 persons in different conferences. The results of this is that 95 % of the professionals working with migrants found that it had given them increased knowledge of SRHR and 97 % found that the education had given them new tools on SRHR in their professional work.<br />
Through an evaluation form in 2016, young migrants who participated in RFSU trainings said that they got increased knowledge on sexuality and health. Young people also said that they had a better ability to talk about sexuality, decreased risk of acquiring an STI and increased empowerment on self determination on relationships and identity.
We created an educational material, that maintained RFSU’s foundational perspectives of openness, pleasure, and anti-discrimination but that was adapted to a limited language proficiency, and previous knowledge and that had an anti-racist baseline perspective. We wanted to increase the opportunity for migrant groups in Sweden to have their right to knowledge met, and to help professionals (teachers, youth counselors etc) with tools to better lead conversations about sexuality and health. The material was completed in 2011 and since then we have developed a wide range of activities - national as well as local.
We then met with professionals and migrants to discuss and educate on the material. We also educate educators so hat they can meet the target groups in schools and at houses for unaccompanied minors (HVB and SiS).
We have been given the project focus in social media, in interviews in main stream media as well as in our political advocacy work towards decision makers.
Through an evaluation form in 2016, young migrants who participated in RFSU trainings said that they got increased knowledge on sexuality and health. Young people also said that they had a better ability to talk about sexuality, decreased risk of acquiring an STI and increased empowerment on self determination on relationships and identity.
RFSU has improved its work on accessibility and information delivery. RFSU has a larger knowledge on how racism can affect a persons own sexual health - regardless on migration status.
Research has shown that migrant groups are extra vulnerable to sexual risk-taking and sexual risk-exposure, language barriers and lack of sex education in countries of origin. RFSU therefore created an educational material, that maintained RFSU’s foundational perspectives of openness, pleasure and anti-discrimination. The result was Sexuality education in simpler Swedish. It is a 230 page material that combines Swedish language-education with sexuality education, and it includes methods on themes such as; safer sex, lust and pleasure, gendered norms, honour-based violence, consent, reproduction and rights. The material has led to increased knowledge among young migrants.<br />
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The actions led to significantly increased knowledge among participants with an increased ability to communicate about the body and sexuality. In several cases it also led to an increased sense of empowerment, especially in relation to deciding over one ́s relationships, identity and sexuality. It also found that the participants got increased knowledge about how to orient in the Swedish care and support system. Also, RFSU’s sex-positive approach has contributed to an increased openness towards speaking about the issues. Additional outcomes include lessened concerns and worry about their sexual health, and probable decreased sexual risk-taking, and risk of sexual violence.
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Andreas Berglöf, Senior Advocacy Officer