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AIDS Community Care Montreal (ACCM)
announced the May 14 launch of “Sext ed,” a community-based initiative that
allows teenagers to use cellphones to text and receive answers to sex-related
questions anonymously. ACCM developed Sext ed to fill a void created when
Quebec’s Ministry of Education removed mandatory sex education programs from
public high schools in 2005.
According to Project Coordinator
Melissa Fuller, when people text a question to Sext ed, a volunteer reviews the
question and consults with an ACCM sex education professional. If ACCM already
has an answer in its database of 1,000 frequently asked questions, the caller
receives a text answer of 160 or fewer characters with a hyperlink to
additional educational tools and resources. The service ensures anonymity by
scrambling the user’s cellphone number and assigning a random identification
number to the request.
Questions from Internet forums and
ACCM workshops form the bulk of the database content. As users send in unique
questions, the ACCM sex education professionals will research the topics and
add them to the database. Frequent topics include when and where to get STD
testing, safe sex practices, pregnancy, and the “emotional side of sexuality.”
Fuller stated that many people do not know the signs of unhealthy emotional or
physical relationships. The ACCM initiative also will provide teaching tools
and resources for school teachers.
According to a study conducted by
Quebec’s health department, STD incidence among teens rose dramatically from
2001 to 2011; chlamydia increased by 60 percent, and there was a similar
increase in syphilis and gonorrhea. Quebec’s health department indicated that
the government is planning to implement “new, more comprehensive” sex education
in schools, but did not provide information about timing or funding for the
program.
Individuals may text questions to
(514) 700–0445.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
