Sex Education Status: A Sociological Study of Female Undergraduate Students at UBC


Alessandra Barbosa, University of British Columbia

The most recent Sex Lives Report (Mohamed, October 2023), a nationally representative survey of young adults aged 18-24 years old, discovered that 2 out of 3 young Canadians report that sex education programs inadequately prepare them to engage in sexual activities. Notably, when asked to identify topics that are soliciting more questions than providing satisfactory answers, young adults comment that consent, fundamental female sexual anatomy and pleasure (notably orgasm) are neglected or completely ignored. The goal of this study is to discover what young adult women learned, identify the information sources that aided in navigating their sexual maturation and critically, how young adult women are inclined to behave as a result. If young adult women could not find answers and feel supported by those they trust, they likely sought out other sources to quench their curiosity. As this author has found, a young adult woman who attended Catholic elementary and secondary institutions with limited access to sex education, this can be overwhelming and confusing at best and detrimental to body, mind and spirit at worst (especially if sources contradict each other). Thus, there is a need to provide accessible, reliable and credible, education programs that normalize sex for all and notably, provide assistance to females navigating sexual maturation. a quantitative study in which young adult women (ages 18-24) at the University of British Columbia are surveyed regarding what they know about sex, how they came to know it and how they are inclined to behave as a result. The survey has been broken into four sections: demographic, elementary education, secondary education and current circumstances. Survey has been chosen as the data collection method so as to efficiently collect information to ensure minimal risk and harm. Data will be analyzed and interpreted using a regression analysis and descriptive statistics. Investing in education produces empowered and autonomous human beings. Yet, when education involves discussion of fundamental female anatomy and pleasure, information is withheld to the detriment of almost half of the world’s population. The aim of this study is to allow women to speak for themselves and reflect on the knowledge they gleaned at different points of their life so that institutions and policy makers can adequately assess what is effective and not. This study may also facilitate the creation of an easily accessible continuing education course for all women who would like to learn more about themselves and how to take care of themselves. Due to time restraints for all involved, it is not possible to conduct interviews and gain greater insight into each young woman’s lived experience. However, this survey could serve as the framework for pre-screening interviews in future research.  

This paper will be presented at the following session: