Sex education: Horsham's Lily Dalton calls for better education in schools

Lily Dalton, 18, who identifies as gender-fluid and uses the pronouns they, them and their, said existing sex education reinforces victim blaming and shaming mentalities. 

“There needs to be more positive education in schools,” Lily said.

“We need an upheaval of victim blaming culture.

“Still in society there are people who blame women for getting raped based on what she’s wearing – it’s disgusting. 

“We need to look at people do the acts not people who are victims.” 

Lily said teaching the youngest generation important lessons about consent, diverse sexuality and respect was a vital step in changing the wider culture.

“Sex education in school pretty awful at moment,” Lily said. 

“Not only is there nothing on lesbian, gay or transgender people – you also don’t really have sex positive education. Educators don’t tell young people it’s okay to love their bodies and it’s okay to love having sex as long as safe about it.”

Lily’s comments come as the Wimmera hosts leading Australian community educator and consultant Maree Crabbe who believes there is a link between pornography, unhealthy relationships and family violence. 

Ms Crabbe spoke at Dimboola on Tuesday about the importance of proper sex education and the prevalence of teenagers viewing pornography as a form of sexual education. 

She said explicit sexual imagery was easily accessed, created and shared.

Ms Crabbe said a recent analysis showed 88 per cent of the most popular pornography contained scenes involving physical aggression, in 94 per cent of cases 

“Porn is a poor and problematic sexuality educator, but its prevalence and influence creates the impression that it is normal,” she said. 

Ms Crabbe said pornography did not realistically represent relationships.