5 Reasons Why We Need Trained Sexual Health Educators

Why do we need professionals formally trained in sexual health?

Trained sexual health educators are essential to providing adults and adolescents with accurate, age-appropriate information in a safe, supportive environment. With their instruction, people in these communities can make more educated decisions about their bodies, health and relationships. 

Think back to your own early education in this area. The information about sexual health that many young people receive may be narrowly focused, inaccurate or misleading. Dr. Kristen Mark is director of graduate studies for CCAPS sexual health programs and the founder of The Abstinence Project, a website that gathers stories of the negative effects of substandard sexual health education.

Says Dr. Mark, “Many abstinence-only sex education messages are shame-based and use fear tactics in their implementation. Not only do we know that fear tactics don’t work in health education efforts, but shame-based messaging is harmful into adulthood.” High-quality, evidence-based sexual health education delivered by qualified professionals can help prevent or address that harm.

Here are five main areas where a qualified sexual health educator can make a real difference.

1. Evidence-Based Facts

Trained sexual health educators can provide facts based on science, statistics and research, free of personal bias and judgment. This includes medical information about anatomy, physiology and development. They can also discuss in medically accurate terms how birth control methods work, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy. 

​​Young people might still learn about sex, relationships and their bodies from other sources, like their peers, social media, pornography and AI, but those can be misleading. It is crucial to have trained sex educators who can teach digital literacy to help young people spot misinformation, navigate online relationships safely and protect their privacy.

2. Relationship and Personal Development

Young people especially can benefit from learning about how to create and maintain healthy relationships. Sex educators can teach about consent and boundaries, communication, active listening, decision making and the importance of mutual respect. Having these skills can often help people recognize when a relationship becomes unsafe. 

Sexual health education also fosters a healthy body image and better management of feelings and self-regulation. It can improve a person’s empathy and their understanding of gender identity and expression and sexual orientation.

3. Creating Safe Spaces

Talking about sex can be difficult. Sexual health educators are trained on how to create inclusive, welcoming spaces that allow individuals to feel comfortable discussing their sexuality and sexual health. They know how to give developmentally appropriate information in a way that builds a scaffold for future learning. 

Trained educators approach human sexuality in a positive, affirming way. This creates an environment where people can ask questions and have open discussions, which can lead to more informed, confident decision-making.

4. Inclusive Education

Inclusive sex education addresses the unique needs of different populations, including the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with disabilities. Research shows that most parents, regardless of political leaning, religion, race, culture or class, want their kids to have some form of sex education. Inclusive education ensures that everyone gets the information they need no matter what their background is. A comprehensive approach like this can lead to better health outcomes, higher self-esteem and healthier relationships.

Depending on the setting, a sexual health educator may benefit from additional training that addresses specific personal or cultural differences, ensuring that relevant facts are communicated respectfully and effectively.

5. Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing

Sexual health is an integral part of overall health. It is deeply connected to our mental and physical well-being. A healthy sexual life, whatever that means to an individual, contributes to a healthy life. Sexuality educators can empower people to take greater control of their holistic well-being by providing accurate sexual health information. 

In addition, sexual health is not often taught in traditional medical and nursing programs. Yet some sexual education training would benefit healthcare professionals regardless of their specialty. Given the large role sexual health plays in general health, they should be prepared to talk about it knowledgeably with their patients. 

Better Sexual Health for Everyone

Everyone, regardless of income, geography and background, should have access to high-quality, evidence-based sex education to ensure their lifelong sexual and reproductive health. Studies show that comprehensive sexual health education leads to a decrease in STIs and unplanned pregnancies and an increase in better relationships and health outcomes, supporting healthier individuals and communities.