Research Area: SEX ED

Not everybody has received comprehensive sex education before college. Then where and how do college students learn about sex?

In U.S. institutions of higher education, sexual health promotion programs are more limited than sexual violence prevention programs:

Shigeto, A., & Scheier, L. M. (2023). The current status of sex education in US colleges and universities: A school website content review. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 18(4), 640-667. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2022.2130489

Relatedly, sexual well-being is not well integrated into holistic wellness programs on college campuses in the US:

Shigeto, A., & Scheier, L. M. (2025). Promoting sexual well-being of college students through wellness programs. Journal of American College Health, 73(5), 2091-2100. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2024.2393099

Sexual health promotion vs. sexual violence prevention

When we say "sex education" for college students, we make a distinction between its two focuses: Sexual health promotion and sexual violence prevention.

Sexual Health Promotion

Georgetown University: Sexual health as part of holistic wellness [Link]
Johns Hopkins University: Sexual health as part of holistic wellness [Link]
Go Ask Alice!: Answers to various health questions including sexual health [Link]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Great info on STIs [Link]
Planned Parenthood: Great info on sexual health, sexual pleasure, and sexual violence [Link]

Sexual Violence Prevention

Green Dot: Interactive, bystander intervention program [Link]
Sexual Assault Prevention Training for College Student: Online program used at many US institutions of higher education [Link]
RAINN: Sexual violence hotline, live chat, and info [Link]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Info on sexual violence [Link]
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): Info on sexual violence [Link]

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