Most people develop an interest in sex when we reach puberty. Navigating relationships and sexuality and the influences that shape them can be challenging for anyone. For autistic young people, this can be even more challenging. Monotropism, the key characteristic of autism, can lead to autistic young people being particularly vulnerable to pressure and coercion, to misinterpreting social cues, and to the impacts of pornography.

Pornography has become a default sexuality educator for many young people, but its messages can be a source of confusion and concern, and shape unrealistic and unhealthy sexual understandings and expectations.

This session seeks to support parents and carers of autistic young people to understand the interactions between autism, sexuality, technology, and pornography, and how we can support autistic young people to navigate respectful, consenting and safe sexuality and relationships.

The presenters:

Maree Crabbe is Director of the Australian violence prevention initiative, It’s time we talked. She is an educator, author and filmmaker who is passionate about gender-based violence prevention, and about supporting parents, schools, communities and government to address pornography’s influence on young people

The content that will be delivered in this session was developed through the Porn Is Not the Norm project which was supported by Interchange Outer East. https://www.notthenorm.com.au/

This FREE webinar is being presented in partnership by Knox, Maroondah, Monash and Whitehorse City Councils.