Promoting Sexual Responsibility and Preventing Sexual Problems

Abstract

The 1981 7th Annual Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology focused on the issues in fostering mature and responsible sexuality and preventing sexual problems. It is clear that Victorian and Calvinist attitudes are still very much present in the American culture and that they create much irrational guilt and emotionally disturbed behavior. The interdependence of prevention efforts aimed at reducing sexual pathology and efforts to enhance mature responsible and pleasurable sexuality is illustrated. Primary prevention efforts are based on the assumption that reducing stress and giving people better resources for coping are effective ways to prevent social difficulties; so are helping them find support groups and developing good self-esteem. 1 of the arguments to support this focus on primary prevention involves the unbridgeable gap between 1) the large number of persons with sexual problems and 2) the small number of persons prepared to provide individual therapeutic intervention to reduce the psychopathology of the perpetrator and to provide therapeutic assistance for the victim. The 4 parts of this volume include: 1) Defining and Fostering Mature Sexuality in a Nonsexist Society 2) The Damaging Consequences of Sexism 3) Working with High-Risk and Low-Self-Esteem Groups and 4) The Arguments for Sex Education as an Approach to Sane and Mature Sexuality.