Position at Shine

SHine SA is an innovative non-government, primary health care agency working for and with the South Australian community and partner agencies to improve sexual health and well-being.

Coordinator

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Men’s Education

ASO5 ($61,309 - $68,678 per annum) 30.0 hours per/wk (0.8fte)

Permanent appointment based at 64c Woodville Road, Woodville

The Coordinator is responsible for increasing the capacity of workers to improve the sexual health of ATSI men through the coordination, implementation and evaluation of culturally appropriate accredited and non accredited training programs, networking and specific health promotion projects.

An application kit, including Job and person specification and Guidelines for applications can be downloaded at www.shinesa.org.au or contact Sharon Formosa on (08) 8300 5317 or email sharon.formosa@health.sa.gov.au.

For further information contact Ms Lucy Cirocco, Manager – Workforce Development on (08) 8300 5321 or email lucy.cirocco@health.sa.gov.au.

Applications will be received via email or mail and should be marked Private and Confidential addressed to:

Lucy Cirocco

Manager-Workforce Development

SHine SA, PO Box 76 Woodville SA 5011

Applications close at 5.00 pm on Friday 23 April 2010

These appointments will be subject to a satisfactory Pre-employment Screening/National Police Certificate.

SHine SA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Conceptualising the prevention of sexual assault and the role of education

Below I have printed some of the conclusion that is in the paper 'Conceptualising the prevention of sexual assault and the role of education .' It is timely and makes great reading. Go here to download the whole paper

"Sexual assault prevention has undergone significant conceptual shifts since the 1970s. This has been reflected in all forms of prevention activity but is also evident in sexual assault prevention education. At this point in time there is still much to be done to ensure our tertiary responses to victims of sexual assault are supportive, effective, timely and flexible to the diverse needs of different population groups who experience sexual assault. We also need to continue to work more effectively to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable. Our current understandings recognise the need for multi-sectoral and diverse responses if we are to move more closely to preventing sexual violence. Prevention education is one crucial strategy in government and community responses to sexual violence. If we are to achieve the cultural shift in communities that promote non-violence and deplore the use of violence between intimate partners, we face many challenges. To respond to these challenges we need to interrogate prevention education rigorously and to develop effective policy to guide its future implementation."

The paper Conceptualising the prevention of sexual assault and the role of education was written by Moira Carmody
in the Issues No. 10 2009
Published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies.ISBN 978-1-921414-16-9, ISSN 1833-7864 (online), ISSN 1833-7856 (print)

Moira Carmody is an Associate Professor, Social Justice and Social Change Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney.

6 reasons why girls should aspire to be alice in wonderland

Here is an interesting bit from aboutface .org

"So let’s talk about the new film directed by Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland. I saw it last weekend, and the Alice character surprised me in her multi-dimensionality and courageousness. It’s rare to see female characters portrayed so evenly. Herein I make my case."

Go here to read more. ( you may need to scroll down the page when you get to it because it is full, of other interesting articles).

My Sistahs peer educators

This is a cool website I found. While it is based in the USA it may have relevance in other places. Have a look here

"MySistahs is a Web site created by and for young women of color to provide information and offer support on sexual and reproductive health issues through education and advocacy. Through monthly features, message boards, and online peer education young women receive information on activism, culture, sexual health, and other issues that are important to them.

MySistahs is a project of Advocates for Youth. Advocates for Youth is dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates provides information, training, and strategic assistance to youth-serving organizations, policy makers, youth activists, and the media in the United States and in developing countries."

Interesting Questions

Here are two interesting questions that were sent to msnbc.com sexual health

Q: Is there any evidence that the health of women who give up sex voluntarily deteriorates over time faster than those who continue to have a sex life? In this case, I talk a woman of 60 who gave up sex seven years ago for religious reasons and now faces a range of inexplicable digestive tract problems and lowered immune system functioning.

and

Q: Okay, this may seem weird. When my ex and I got intimate he could turn me on by the breath from his nose. When we would get hot and heavy, the smell from his nose was so intoxicating. OMG! I’ve only had the courage to ask one other person about this (my sister) and she has the same experience with her husband. I’ve never told my ex this — too weird. Since we broke up, we hook up occasionally but it’s not the same as when I was in love. Mind over matter or is there something more to it?

Go here to read the answers!!

To me this just shows the wonderful and varied world of sexuality.

Do you have any thoughts on this?? How nice that in the first question the discussion does talk about the healthy benifits of sex. On the other hand the answer doesn't seem to give much credence to people who choose not to have sex..

In the second question I am just glad that the person who wrote it was able to ask SOMEONE about it. I wish we could all feel free to engage in discourse on sexual health like we do about movies, or magazines, or or or or...

World Reproductive Health

If you have never visited the World Health Organisation websites I suggest you do. They are a wealth of information. Below is one of the WHO sites. It is full of global information

HRP research is one of these sites. HRP helps people lead healthy sexual and reproductive lives, by strengthening capacities of countries to provide quality information and services that enable people to protect their own reproductive and sexual health and that of their partners.

At this site you will find pubications such as 'Adolescents and Reproductive Health'
and many more. Please go and explore..

wonderful posting from a young woman

I had to post this on this blog. It is an email I recieved from a wonderful young woman who is concerned about all young men and women out there. This is being published with her permission. Feel free to copy and pass it on. Young people rock!!

Let me tell you a little about myself.... my name is Asha and I am 21 years old. I am the first child of Jo & Lud. My parents seperated when I was so young I don't have any memories of them being together. I was brought up between two houses, with my father and his girlfriend in the hills, and my mother by the beach. I have a younger brother and together we spent time with both sides of our family. I was showered with love and support throughout my growing years from both parents and I cannot imagine I could have come from a happier and more loving environment. Both of my parents have always been open and honest with myself and my brother. It is a relationship that is built on trust and friendship.

I don't know if it is because my father works in the youth sector or for any other reason - but to me, having a healthy and SAFE sexual relationship with anyone, just seems common sense. Not so. I am still shocked by how many of my friends, colleagues and peers can be so ignorant. I have had many chats with many different people in the last few months. These people come from all walks of life - different countries, towns, backgrounds and sexual prefences. Most of them are between 18 and 30 years of age. When I brought up the topic of contraception, the most common responses I got from males were "girls are all on the pill these days, I don't need to think about it" and "I'd know if I had something....!" A couple accused me of saying they were "dirty and diseased". I am not accusing you of that, BUT STI's DO NOT ALWAYS PRESENT SYMPTOMS!!!!!!! You may have had a check up 3 months ago, but how many times have you had unprotected sex since then, and are you absolutely sure the people you have had sex with are free of STIs? Not because you assume, but because you know and trust them when they tell you they have been tested.... recently and since having unprotected sex.

And no, not all girls are on the pill. I'm not. That doesn't mean I am going to have sex unprotected. If I am going to have sex with anyone, I will use a condom. I'm not meaning to cause offence by asking a man to wear a condom, but I actually value my health, and that means I don't want an STI! I don't know who you have had sex with, I don't want to know. And really - you don't know who I have had sex with either, so I'm not just asking you to wear one for the hell of it. They are made for a reason..!

Most girls I spoke with, were a bit more aware of the importance of using protection, but still not all practiced it. The reasons for not practicing it, generally were "being too drunk" so not caring at the time (probably more of a reason TO practice it!) and because the guy didn't want to wear one.... well, if you'd prefer to feel the pain and embarassment of Herpes, no worries, but I don't want to share that experience thank you very much.

Almost half of people I spoke with said they have had Chlamydia atleast once. They were all surprised that it is treated with just a tablet - I guess in that sense they are LUCKY that's all they had.. not everything will go away with just a tablet.

I remember afew months ago I was at the pub, I saw a man with his hand down his pants. I asked what he was doing. His reply was "I have Chlamydia, my balls sting, would you like to help by rubbing them better?" Worst pick up line in history, and No, I think I will stay away from your Chlamydia. Strange as it may be, that did not turn me on. At all!

Is this how society is? We see sexual health as a joke and nothing to worry about? I don't know what it will take to get through to these people! Even after talking with them about the importance of practicing safe sex and explaining that STIs don't always show symptoms, and just because you have a check up every three months doesn't mean your safe..... I know that some of them have still had unprotected sex...! Unprotected sex with friends, partners, "fuck buddys" and one night stands.

I'm not going to lie. I have had unprotected sex. You may call me a hypocrite, but we all make mistakes. For the record, it was with someone that I know and trust, and I know he had been tested and cleared. Still, I am wiser now! I wouldn't let it happen again. You just never know.

Whatever happened to prevention? You may have your regular check up, but by then you may already have an STI without knowing it!!! ...They do not all go away. They can be treated yes, but once you have Herpes, Warts or even worse AIDS, you are stuck with them! As well as that, some STIs can cause infertility if left untreated.
What more do we need to do? Seriously guys (and girls), buy some condoms... AND USE THEM!!!! If you can't afford to buy them, duck into your local youth centre or hospital and you can get them for free!!!!!

Sex in the media/Effect on young people. Whats the Harm?

I have been looking into the amount of sexual content in popular media ( A subjective term I know) and its possible effect on young people. Here is some of the information I have found.

In a US study by the Henry Kaiser Family Foundation called : Generation M: Media in the lives of 8 – 18 year olds it was found that they:
Watch 4 hours of TV a day
Listen to almost 2 hrs of music each day
Use the computer for recreational use 1 hr day
Play video games for almost 1 hr day
Read recreational material almost 1 hr day

SO WHAT, I HEAR YOU SAY??
SO.....WHATS THE HARM?

Of this group access to this media is often in their private bedroom:
68% have tv
54% have own dvd player
50% have video game console
31% have computer
65% have Mp3, Ipod etc

WHATS THE HARM??

In 2005
92% of movies showed sexual content
87% of sitcoms
87% of drama seriers
85% of soap operas
70% of news shows
67% of talk shows
28% of reality tv shows
(Sex on TV, A Kaiser Foundation Report 7398)

WHATS THE HARM?

In 2005, Sex on TV4, a biennial study of sexual content on tv analysed over 1000 hours of content from ALL genres;
Overall 70% of shows included some sexual content averaging 5 sexual episodes per hour.
53% of sexual scenes that incuded intercourse were between couples in an established relationship.
20% was between couples that had met but had no relationship
15% were between couples that had just met
12% the relationship was unclear.
Almost no discussion regarding safer sex, risk, consent: No discussion regarding pain, fear, erectile dysfunction etcetc


WHATS THE HARM?

Research has shown that the exposure to sexuality in the media has been related to adolescent sexual behaviour ( Pardun et al, 2005)

Research has shown that increasing sexual content on on television is related to early sexual initiation in adolescents ( Collins et al 2004)

SO.....WHATS THE HARM? IS THERE ANY HARM?

Speak Plainly when Discussing Sex!

Well doh! However..... This new study identifies WHY it is sooo important to be clear about the things we talk about. Dont expect that when a young person tells you that they 'had sex' it will have the same meaning that YOU apply to 'have sex'. Here is some information from the study. To follow up go here


Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction and the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention. The study, published in the journal Sexual Health, examined how men and women in various age groups classify whether various physical acts constitute "having sex." Bancroft writes that the researchers asked respondents, whose ages ranged from 18 to 96, "Would you say you 'had sex' with someone if the most intimate behavior you engaged in was..." The question ended with one of 14 possible scenarios, such as manual-genital contact, oral-genital contact, penile-vaginal intercourse and penile-anal intercourse, with variations related to whether an act was performed or received, performed with a condom or performed for a brief period of time, according to Bancroft. Participants' responses varied by age and sex. For example, only 9.7% of men ages 18 to 29 thought that receiving manual-genital stimulation was "having sex," and only 40% thought that receiving oral-genital contact was sex,

Men who engage in domestic violence

Men who engaged in domestic violence consistently overestimated how common such behavior is, and the more they overestimated it the more they engaged in abusing their partner in the previous 90 days, according to new research conducted at the University of Washington.

Those men overestimated by two to three times the actual rates of seven behaviors ranging from throwing something at a partner to rape, according Clayton Neighbors, lead author of a paper to be published in a spring issue of the journal Violence Against Women.

"We don't know why men make these overestimations, but there are a couple of likely reasons. Men who engage in violent behavior justify it in their mind by thinking it is more common and saying, 'Most guys slap their women around so it is OK to engage in it.' Or it could be that misperceptions about violence cause the behavior," said Neighbors, now a UW affiliate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and a professor of psychology at the University of Houston. "Another way of looking at this would be wearing a red shirt. If you think everyone is wearing a red shirt then it is okay for you to wear one too. Or if you wear a red shirt you might overestimate the number of other people who are wearing red shirts," he said.

TO READ MORE GO HERE. THIS WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WAY WE WORK WITH YOUNG MEN