Backlash As Council Website Gives Children Graphic Sex Advice

A council has been condemned for its sex education website, which teaches children about 'niche' sex acts such as fisting, felching, c**k and ball torture and bukkake.

Warwickshire County Council's 'Respect Yourself' website, which is aimed at 13 to 25-year-olds, described the sex acts in its 'Sextionary' section. The site also has a Q&A page where one 12-year-old was told it was 'perfectly natural' to spend 'half the night' watching porn and masturbating.

Elsewhere on the site, 'bum sex' is presented as a form of contraception, most people are said to 'have a bit of a fiddle every now and again' and porn is depicted as harmless.

A section of the site reads: "You may have seen there's been quite a lot in the media recently about the dangers and harms that porn causes to young people. Many people have been quite vocal and do truly believe that porn is dangerous for young people to watch.

"However, there are no scientific studies that give evidence to suggest that watching porn is any more likely to turn you into a sex addict than watching a violent film is likely to turn you into a serial killer. In fact there is more evidence to suggest the opposite.

"It is perfectly natural to be curious and get horny and want to watch something that turns you on. That said, be aware - porn is not real life - no more than Grand Theft Auto is real life. Some people make that mistake - it is a fantasy so bear that in mind."

The council has temporarily suspended the website and placed it under review after campaign groups criticised it for normalising 'sadomasochistic sex and porn'.

Tracy Shaw, spokesperson for Safe Schools Alliance (SSA), told the Metro: "It's totally inappropriate. Teenagers are already under so much pressure because of what they see in porn. This website is normalising porn and the type of sex teenagers are unlikely to get.

"If the message they are getting from the council is [dangerous sex] is fine, how will they feel when they are uncomfortable? They will think there is something wrong with them.

"We are not against sex education, but we need to show how damaging porn is. We are coming at this from a safeguarding point of view."

Campaign group Click Off also condemned the site.

According to the Metro, in a joint statement with the SSA, it said: "In failing to condemn the use of pornography the Respect Yourself guidance is effectively sacrificing the best interests of women and girls in order to seem 'sex positive'.

"The poorly reasoned approach of Respect Yourself will undoubtedly prevent many adolescents in Warwickshire from enjoying healthy, mutually enjoyable sexual relationships in adulthood."

A spokesperson for the council told the Metro: "The Council carefully considers all comments raised about our services. We have decided to review the content of a few of our pages which have raised a small number of concerns."

LADbible has contacted the council for comment.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, Sex and Relationships

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey