Emerging adults’ perceptions of school-based sex education on consent, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence

Abstract

ABSTRACT Given the prevalence of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in adolescence and young adulthood, it is critical to understand how content on these topics is integrated into school-based sex education as a potential intervention point. However, little research has evaluated how formal sex education on sexual assault and intimate partner violence is delivered in US schools. This study examined 343 North Carolina first-year college students’ perceptions of their K-12 sex education on consent, sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Overall, individuals rated their sex education as neither helpful or unhelpful and reported that they had received only basic information on these topics. A sizeable minority also stated that the topics were inadequately covered or not covered at all. Students expressed the desire to receive more interactive and in-depth coverage. Implications of the findings for the future delivery of evidence-based sex education in schools are discussed.