Teen Sex: Sex Etc..... Answering those questions parents struggle with

Sex, Etc. is on a mission to improve teen sexual health across the country! Each year, five million young people visit Sexetc.org, and over 45,000 read our national magazine to get honest and accurate sexual health information. We've helped teens with answers to their questions about sex, relationships, pregnancy, STDs, birth control, sexual orientation and more!
Sexetc.org features 17 topic areas plus the following sections:

• Stories written by teen staff writers and national contributors.
• Your Voice, Your Rights, which gives teens the opportunity to create a profile, share stories about sexuality education in their schools and speak up for the sex ed they want, need and deserve.
• “Take Action,” which gives teens the tools to advocate for comprehensive sex ed in their schools and communities.
• The Sex, Etc. blog—Beyond the Birds and the Bees—which addresses timely sexual health issues that are relevant to teens.
• Forums where teens can participate in moderated discussions with other teens.
• "Sex in the States," which is a state-by-state guide to teens' rights to sex education, birth control and more.
• Videos about sexual health.
• A Sex Terms glossary of more than 400 terms
• A mobile site that can be accessed on any phone with Internet access. It contains all of our FAQs, Sex Terms and Sex in the States information.

Sex, Etc. is part of the Teen-to-Teen Sexuality Education Project developed by Answer, a national organization dedicated to providing and promoting comprehensive sexuality education to young people and the adults in their lives. For more information about Answer and to find out how you can support better sex education, please visit the Answer Web site.

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SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

SAVE was one of the nation's first organizations dedicated to the prevention of suicide and was a co-founding member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention. Their history and growth from an all-volunteer, small grassroots group of passionate survivors led them to what is one of today's leading national not-for-profit organizations with staff dedicated to prevent suicide. This site, along with their work, is based on the foundation and belief that suicide should no longer be considered a hidden or taboo topic and that through raising awareness and educating the public, they can SAVE lives.

SAVE cannot operate without the generous support of individual, corporate, foundation, and event support. They also rely heavily on volunteers for their speaker's bureau, office help, events, conferences, and raising awareness in every city.
SAVE provides resources centered on suicide prevention and coping with loss due to suicide. Educational brochures for adults and youth are available for community prevention programs, schools, health care professionals, businesses and for individuals concerned with suicide prevention. These valuable tools provide an excellent opportunity to build community awareness as well as help those in need.

They at SAVE believe that suicide is preventable and that suicide prevention works. In order to accomplish Their mission and goals, they use the public health model along with a media campaign to raise awareness of suicide. They use an educational approach to dispel the myths about suicide, and to let others know about the realities surrounding what in 1999 the former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher called a "public health crisis." On the following pages you will find information and resources that will help you if you are suicidal or if you know someone who is.

If you are suicidal or you think someone you know is, they want you to know that help is available and recovery is possible! Start by learning the warning signs, and do whatever you can to get yourself or someone you care about to the help they need so that they can return to living a fully functioning life.

SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

In memory of 14 year-old Jamey Rodemey.  Click here. 


Know the warning signs.


Be a voice.


Make a difference in your community.


Don't be silenced.

Teen Dating: Love Is Not Abuse Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 14, 2011 – A new survey reveals dating violence and abuse to be surprisingly more prevalent among college students than previously believed. Nearly half of dating college women (43%) report having ever experienced violent or abusive dating behaviors, and more than one in five (22%) report actual physical abuse, sexual abuse or threats of physical violence. Despite the high number of students experiencing these types of abuse, more than one-third of college students (38%) say they would not know how to get help on campus if they found themselves in an abusive relationship.

The survey, “Liz Claiborne Inc.’s Love Is Not Abuse 2011 College Dating Violence and Abuse Poll,” was conducted by Knowledge Networks to address the lack of data on dating violence and abuse among college students and to increase the understanding of this problem on college campuses nationwide.

According to dating violence expert, Dr. Karen Singleton, Director of Sexual Violence Response, a program of Columbia University Health Services, “This survey expands on earlier reports and reinforces the complexity of the issue.” Among the findings are:

·         Nearly 1 in 3 (29%) college women report having been a victim of an abusive dating relationship in her life.

·         57% of students who report having been in an abusive dating relationship indicate it occurred in college.

·         52% of college women report knowing a friend who has experienced violent and abusive dating behaviors including physical, sexual, digital, verbal or controlling abuse.

·         Further, 58% of students said they would not know how to help if they knew someone was a victim.

“The findings of this survey prove that colleges and universities need to provide a more comprehensive response and additional creative educational programs to address dating violence and abuse,” said Jane Randel, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Liz Claiborne Inc.

The survey findings were released today, during a forum to educate students about sexual assault prevention and survivor assistance at American University.

The full report of survey results can be found at www.loveisnotabuse.com.

National Dating Abuse Helpline and Break the Cycle Respond to the Urgent Need for Education

In direct response to these new findings, www.loveisrespect.org, a partnership between the National Dating Abuse Helpline and leading teen dating violence prevention organization, Break the Cycle, is launching an initiative to target college students with new, relevant resources to address the issue of dating abuse. 

The expanded online content includes: Take Action (information on how students can get involved on their campus), Stay Safe (safety planning designed specifically for college students) and Help a Friend (information to assist bystanders). The survey shows that 57% of college students say it is difficult to identify dating abuse - substantive evidence of the need for increased education and awareness.

“It is our hope that with these targeted college resources, we can help increase knowledge about how students can combat the issue and ultimately, help prevent the prevalence of dating abuse and violence among students,” said President of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and National Dating Abuse Helpline, Katie-Ray Jones.

The resources are available, free online at www.loveisrespect.org.

In addition, Liz Claiborne Inc. has created a college dating violence curriculum called Love Is Not Abuse, designed to help students deal with dating violence and abuse on campus. The first college curriculum of its kind, Love Is Not Abuse educates students about the dangers and warning signs of dating violence, offers lessons specifically on abuse via technology and provides resources where college students can find help on campus.

The Love Is Not Abuse curriculum was created by a task force consisting of educators and domestic and sexual violence experts from Columbia University, George Mason University, the University of Kansas, Virginia Community College System, Northern Virginia Community College and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) following the May 2010 murder of University of Virginia student Yeardley Love.

The Love Is Not Abuse college curriculum is available online, free at www.loveisnotabuse.com/web/guest/curriculum.

Safe Haven Law: Protecting Newborns

Baby abandonment is a tragedy that is happening in the United States - It does not have to happen:
A Safe Haven for Newborns began in response to the tragedy of infant abandonment in Florida. We see and read about abandoned babies all too often – it is heart breaking.

The Safe Haven Law is a safety net for both the mother and the newborn infant. Instead of abandoning a newborn to an almost sure death, it allows mothers, fathers or whoever is in possession of an unharmed newborn, approximately seven days old or less, to leave them at a Safe Haven facility: Any Hospital, Staffed 24/7 Fire Rescue Station, or Staffed 24/7 Emergency Medical Service Station, with no questions asked, totally anonymous, free from fear of prosecution...... A compassionate approach which is saving lives.


According to a CNN review of FBI statistics, nearly five infants under the age of one are killed in the U.S. each week. The federal government and most states do not keep statistics specific to abandoned newborns. There is presently no way to clearly determine what portion of infant deaths are due to abandonment.

This eye-opening story can open the lines of communication with your teenager.  Talk to your teen about sex education, pregnancy and choices they have.  Learn more at Stay Teen.

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Protect Children Online

Do you know how to protect your children from online predators?

Do you when your child is being cyberbullied?

Do you know how to set your parental controls?

There are so many new challenges to parenting and technology is probably one of the biggest with today's generation of children.

www.ProtectChildrenOnline.org is dedicated to your family's cyber-safety.

Bill Latchford created the site, www.protectchildrenonline.org to help raise awareness of the rising threats that The Internet and Technology itself can pose to our children.

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ADHD and Social Skills: A Step-by-Step Guide for Teachers and Parents

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By Esta M. Rapoport

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) leave for school in the morning with a smile and a backpack, ready to make friends. They often return from school after having been bullied. Children with ADHD appear vulnerable to their peers, because they misinterpret social cues and behave in a socially inappropriate manner. These children have few if any friends.

This book explains the difficulties that children with ADHD endure to those individuals who do not understand the complexities of these children's problems. Difficulties with attention, organization and social interaction are listed, defined, and described. Teachers and personnel who work with these children in school and parents who work with their children at home are offered innovative techniques for improving these children's behavior, in a way that everyone can understand and implement. Real-life experiences of average people living with children with ADHD are included, so that parents can feel less alone in their experiences.

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Third Annual BLUE SHIRT DAY™ -WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION

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Love Our Children USA announced today the Third Annual BLUE SHIRT DAY™ - WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION to kickoff National Bullying Prevention Awareness month during October. The Blue Shirt Day™- World Day of Bullying Prevention is an initiative of STOMP Out Bullying™ to combat bullying and cyberbullying.

This time of year should be an exciting time for students returning to school …learning, seeing old friends and making new ones; but the reality for many is often very different. They're the victims of bullying at school, on playgrounds and online. They’re afraid to go to school for fear of being bullied.

To signify the importance of National Bullying Prevention Awareness month, STOMP Out Bullying™, a signature program of Love Our Children USA™, created Blue Shirt Day™- World Day of Bullying Prevention which is observed on the first Monday of October. On this day, we ask kids and adults alike to make Monday, October 3rd, the day that bullying prevention is heard around the world by wearing a Blue Shirt in solidarity to STOMP Out Bullying.

With the new school year beginning, this is a call to action for students, schools and workplaces across the country. Hundreds of schools across the country have agreed to participate and many more are expected to join.
This year’s campaign not only offers a newly designed “limited edition” blue shirt, it will create an even greater awareness with a PSA. The PSA will air on major TV and cable networks, as well as online.
Ross Ellis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of STOMP Out Bullying™ said: "Kids who are intimidated, threatened, or harmed by bullies and cyberbullies often experience low self-esteem and depression. Some take their lives as an alternative. Many do not understand how extreme bullying can get. Parents, teachers and school administrators must use sensitivity in handling these issues. They must also work to make the victims more resilient, as well as working to help change the behavior of the bully. Schools can no longer sweep the issue under the rug."

STOMP Out Bullying™ offers students a safe haven. From information and resources, to an online area where youths can talk about the issue, to getting involved in social media efforts, signing a petition, raising awareness, Blue Shirt Day and celebrity PSAs and a HelpChat Line for kids and teens who are bullied, cyberbullied and at-risk for suicide, and a soon to be launched area where students can upload videos about their experiences with bullying and why they want to end bullying.

We ask kids, teens and adults to participate BLUE SHIRT DAY™- WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION by wearing the STOMP Out Bullying™ “limited edition” blue shirt or wear their own blue shirt.
And from September 29th – October 19th the biggest celebrities will participate in the Fourth Annual STOMP Out Bullying Auction on charitybuzz.com. Some of last year’s celebrities include: Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bill Joel, Bette Midler, Ellen Degeneres, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Dancing With the Stars and Tom Bergeron, American Idol and a host of other very notable stars.

Ellis said: "We are so grateful to all of our partners joining us in this fight to STOMP Out Bullying. Bullying can be so painful and clearly has played a role in recent suicides across the country. And cyberbullying is in full force with the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and other sites popular with kids and teens. This social online cruelty is used by individuals or groups intending to harm our youth. Bullying starts as early as kindergarten. We have to look at prevention as a community issue. It’s up to parents, schools, law enforcement and the students to work together to educate and prevent – putting an end to the violence and to the suicides.”

The parents of Scott Walz, Sladjana Vidovic, Phoebe Prince, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, Jesse Logan, Hope Witsell (Florida), Ryan Halligan and all of the others who took their lives know only too well, because they their kids could no longer take the daily torment.

They might be here today if their schools had listened and taken a stand against all forms of bullying.Students should be educated about the harmful effects of bullying and cyberbullying. They can begin by observing and participating in National Bullying Prevention Awareness month and BLUE SHIRT DAY™- WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION.

Recent Statistics Show:

• 1 out of 4 kids is Bullied.
• Approximately 160000 kids stay home from school each day due to the fear of being bullied
• 43% of teens, 97% of middle schoolers and 47% of older teens 18-24 are cyberbullied
• 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school

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SOBERLINK Family - Monitoring Promotes Accountability and Your Teens

What is SOBERLINK?

Soberlink is a patent pending medical device that remotely monitors a person's blood alcohol level without being physically present. Soberlink compiles a sobriety report that transmits to a web-based monitoring portal for counselors to review.

Monitoring helps promote accountability with your teenagers: 

• It is proven that families who use monitoring techniques provide their children with one more good reason to say "NO" in the face of social pressures.
  
  
• Proactive parents desire their children to be successful in every aspect of life. Most teenagers want to make the right decision, but compromise when faced with a moment of social pressure and peer expectation.
  
  
• The accountability of SOBERLINK empowers your teenager to make the right choices in the moments that matter most.

 Learn more at www.SoberLink.net.

Watch then video of how SOBERLINK works here.

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Do I Get My Allowance Before or After I'm Grounded?: Stop Fighting, Start Talking, and Get to Know Your Teen

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Just released!

HOORAY! Finally, parenting advice from the kid’s perspective! It’s usually impossible to get more than one-word-answers from us, but with my book “Do I Get My Allowance Before or After I’m Grounded” and my blog, I hope I can be honest about real issues that teens and pre-teens are dealing with, so you, the parents, can actually understand us (well at least a small part of our world)…and we can finally develop better relationships.

• Have you ever wondered what really goes on in the mind of a teenager?

• As a teenager, have you ever wondered why parents really make your curfew so early?

• As a parent, have you hoped for a better understanding of the teenage years?

 I am very excited to announce that my next book will be coming out in September with Plume Books–a member of Penguin Group (USA). Here is a sneak peek:

“Do I Get My Allowance Before or After I’m Grounded?” by Vanessa Van Petten

For Parents with Kids Age 7-23!

Every parent fears “losing” their child. But in this revolutionary book, youthologist Vanessa Van Petten translates what parents want to say into what teens want to hear.

At 16, Vanessa Van Petten started her award-winning website, RadicalParenting.com, in reaction to sudden friction with her parents. Today,Vanessa and more than one hundred teen contributors help thousands of parents build and maintain healthy, strong, mutually fulfilling relationships with their teenage children—by providing prescriptive advice straight from the source.

From classic fights like dating and chores to twenty-first century issues such as sexting and cyberbullying, this comprehensive book provides step-by-step guidance on every worry, including:

• Lying

• Social Networking

• School

• Peer Pressure

• Sex

• Drugs

It’s never too late to reconnect. Vanessa Van Petten helps you learn what’s really going on in your child’s life, and most importantly—understand when to put your foot down and when to let go. This book is helpful for parents with kids ages 7 to 25–the advice is timeless and can help in all parent child relationships.

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