Pleasure-Centered Educational Program: A Comprehensive Approach to Pleasure-Oriented Sexuality Education in Domestic Violence Shelters

ABSTRACT

Women in a domestic violence shelter in Georgia were recruited to participate in a series of comprehensive, sex-positive, educational workshops. The purpose of the series was to provide a place for survivors of domestic violence to discuss positive and negative aspects of their previous sexual experiences and to offer a forum in which all aspects of sexuality, including pleasurable sexuality, could be discussed. The focus of the program was to educate women in the group on a wide array of topics from negative sexual rights (e.g., the right to be protected from or ability to protect oneself from sexually transmitted infections) to positive sexual rights (e.g., the right to experience pleasure). The program was based on previous strengths-based educational formats and tools. Positive feedback from informants included the applicability, accessibility, and engaging format of the program. Women reported that this program was informative and structured in a way that safely encouraged open discussions among participants, as well as encouraged open dialogue with their children.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexuality education
• intimate-partner violence
• domestic violence shelters
• family sexuality education
• pleasure framework

Notes

Dr. Ruth Neustifter, MSSW-MFT, Ph.D., is a private sexuality educator and relationship coach. She is also a graduate faculty member at University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

^*Dr. Ruth Neustifter, MSSW-MFT, Ph.D., is a private sexuality educator and relationship coach. She is also a graduate faculty member at University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.