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The Challenges, Contradictions and Possibilities of Teaching About Pornography in Sex and Relationships Education (SRE): The Australian Context

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Abstract

Pornography is an intensely personal, private and political issue: one capable of dividing sex and relationships educators. Over the past 20 years in Australia, there has been enormous progress in inclusive practices, acknowledgement of sexual activity and improvement in the provision of resources to support sex and relationships education (SRE) in schools. These positive changes have happened alongside an increasing concern about the high levels of violence against women (VAW). Increasingly, authors are pointing to the broader structural aspects of gender relations and inequality as implicated in the cause and the solution. Gender-based entitlements, power, objectification and status are now recognised as playing an instrumental role in the dynamics of VAW (Russo and Pirlott, 2006; Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2014).

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© 2016 Debbie Ollis

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Ollis, D. (2016). The Challenges, Contradictions and Possibilities of Teaching About Pornography in Sex and Relationships Education (SRE): The Australian Context. In: Sundaram, V., Sauntson, H. (eds) Global Perspectives and Key Debates in Sex and Relationships Education: Addressing Issues of Gender, Sexuality, Plurality and Power. Palgrave Pivot, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137500229_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137500229_4

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-349-69878-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-50022-9

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