‘Better safe than sorry’: Women’s stories of sex and intimate relationships on the path out of drug abuse

European Journal of Social Work

2020

Section: Social Work Implications In Relation To Sexual Attitudes and Experiencesmentioning

confidence: 81%

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young people in secure state care and their non-incarcerated peers – a qualitative, descriptive and comparative study

Schindele

European Journal of Social Work

2020

“…The importance of addressing sexuality when a person stops using alcohol or drugs has been detailed in studies regarding adults (Svensson & Skårner, 2014;Skårner, Månsson, & Svensson, 2016). Much indicates that sex under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is an area where young people placed in secure state care should also be offered professional support.…”

Section: Young People's Experiences and Staff Competenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Outskirts of the Charmed Circle—Challenges and Limitations of Sexual Health Promotion to Young People in Secure State Care

2020

Sex Res Soc Policy

Objectives Young people on the verge of, or in, secure state care or incarceration have reduced general and sexual health. The promoting of sexual health among young people in secure state care is therefore a responsibility for both the state-run agency responsible for this care and for the professionals who work there. Methods This position paper discusses sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for young people in secure state care in Sweden. Four previous studies on sexual health of young people in secure state care are revisited, and governmental policy documents are examined. Results Young people in secure state care face many threats to their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Some of these threats originate with the institutional placement itself and the lack of knowledge among the staff. Clashes on various levels between the subjectively desired (young people seeking pleasure from sex, alcohol, or other drugs) and the societally desired (sexual health, minimal alcohol use, and no drug use among young people) are described. In addition, clashes are seen between young people who want to be like everyone else in their social context and the staff with a mission (i.e. job description) to readjust young people into adopting socially accepted behaviour. Conclusion I argue that young people in secure state care have sexual experiences that are marginalized and placed on the outskirts of the charmed (sexual) circle of societally accepted sexual behaviour. In addition, their experiences are surrounded by silence, a silence sustained by both young people and professionals. The readiness of professionals to handle SRHR for young people in secure state care in a knowledge-based and non-judgemental fashion is crucial. Future research should focus on this readiness and have the needs and wishes of young people as its departing point. Although the article involves a local context, it may be of interest to a wider audience, as the placement of young people in secure state care and other forms of incarceration occurs worldwide.

“…This finding is line with previous research on substance use and sexuality. It is both important and challenging for people exiting substance use, to have, or to reclaim, their sexuality and to have new sexual experiences in the absence of alcohol or other drugs (Skårner, Månsson, and Svensson 2016;Svensson and Skårner 2014).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) education with homeless people in Sweden

Wikström¹,

Eriksson²,

2018

Sex Education

This paper describes the implementation of an educational intervention to enhance sexual health among homeless people by including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as a part of social work provision with this group. Adult service users in different forms of temporary accommodation were provided with the opportunity to participate in three group sessions. Seventeen sessions, six with women and eleven with men, took place at six different housing facilities in Gothenburg. The intervention implementation process (which involved preparation, creation, realisation and evaluation) is described, and factors of importance are identified. Service users appreciated the opportunity to receive information and discuss sexual health, rights and norms. The success of the work may be related to the fact that the project was anchored both in social services and among service users, constantly adjusted, and delivered using a respectful approach. Social work organisations and professionals have an important role to play in acknowledging and promoting service users' sexual health and rights, especially among disadvantaged and socially excluded groups including homeless people.