Tools for Empowerment: Improving Sexual Health Outcomes for Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Adolescent girls face a number of barriers when it comes to practicing safer sex. Whether these barriers arise from a simple lack of education or negotiating gender stereotypes and power dynamics, it has become increasingly apparent that to support equity, sexual health and safety for adolescent girls, educators must develop new strategies to encourage condom use and other forms of sexual self-care among young women. Research on social circumstances contributing to safer sex practices overwhelmingly stresses the need to address the complex factors shaping adolescent sexual experiences in order for sexual health education to be effective. This project engaged seven adolescent girls between the ages of 16 and 19 using participatory action research. Participants engaged in a 1.5-hour sexual health program, followed by a 1.5-hour collective biography and focus group, with the option of completing individual interviews following the primary session. The intent of this research is to explore and address some of the barriers to safer sex practices for adolescent girls in order to develop recommendations that could help to improve outcomes in sexual health education. It was informed with knowledge from an array of disciplines including psychology, medicine, and feminist studies. Key themes addressed include comprehensive sexuality education, physical and social risks, gender, race, class, and emotional intelligence.