Healthy Sexuality

Sexuality starts in the home. Helping your child grow up to be a loving, caring and sexually healthy adult is a big responsibility. Children learn their values early in life from the adults that are around them.

"Sexual health education at home is important because high quality parent-child communication about sexuality has been linked to a decrease in sexually risky behaviour and negative sexual health outcomes" (Meschke, Bartholomae, & Zentall, 2002).  While many Canadians focus on and understand the importance of physical, mental and workplace health, we often overlook our sexual health.

A lot of talks we have with our families tend to focus on the negatives of sexuality, such as STIs and unintended pregnancies. Good sexual health doesn't only involve avoiding illnesses and problems.

Healthy sexuality involves:
  • Knowledge and awareness of our bodies and what gives us pleasure.
  • The capacity for intimacy and close relationships.
  • The ability to enjoy and control sexual and reproductive behaviour.
  • Freedom from fear, shame and guilt about our sexuality and our feelings.
  • Comfort with different expressions of sexuality including love, sensuality,
    and celibacy.
Tips for healthy sexuality in your home
  • If your children ask you questions, answer them simply and honestly.
  • When talking to your children, use the proper names of body parts
    - this takes practice.
  • Educate yourself and your teens about drugs, smoking, STIs and the consequences of unprotected sex.
  • As a parent, be a positive role model for your kids by showing them what healthy sexuality is. Take care of your own health and be comfortable in who you are as a sexual person. Show your kids how to express themselves in healthy ways by expressing yourself in healthy ways. This all can take practice.

Of the 12 Northwestern Health Unit offices, there are four with Sexual Health Clinics. These Sexual Health Clinics provide comprehensive birth control counseling, free STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing and treatment, cervical screening, pregnancy testing, and access to affordable birth control. We also provide information, resources and support for many other health issues including abstinence, sexual orientation, menopause, substance abuse, relationship issues and infertility.

The Northwestern Health Unit offers confidential, accurate and non-judgmental services that are available to both men and women. No referral is necessary.

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