Introduction

Experiences of sexual harassment are common among university students. At the same time, research shows that victims and bystanders find it difficult to determine when an incident meets the criteria for sexual harassment. The aim of this study therefore was to obtain a richer and deeper understanding of the obstacles that university students encounter in identifying sexual harassment in the academic environment.

Methods

Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with a total of 85 students at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level in five European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden) between 2020 and 2022. Thematic analysis was used to identify obstacles in identifying sexual harassment.

Results

The obstacles described by participants were found to fall into three main categories: (1) preconceived notions about what constitutes sexual harassment that did not necessarily concur with lived experiences, (2) navigating an often blurred or ambiguous line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and (3) the existence of competing interpretations of what had happened.

Conclusions

The results point to a gap between the participants’ lived experiences and their interpretations of them, which include difficulties positioning their experiences within their theoretical understanding of sexual harassment.

Policy Implications

Measures to counteract the obstacles faced by victims and bystanders in identifying sexual harassment in academia should target this cognitive gap, for instance by addressing the stereotypes that characterize preconceived notions about sexual harassment.

Generation P? is based on a unique and comprehensive study giving voice to the words and opinions of the young people themselves. Never before have pornography and sexualized material been so readily available and pervasive in young people's everyday life. TV programmes, advertising, and the music industry exploit and play with pornographic codes and scenarios. The sex industry launches and promotes its products via youth channels and websites. How do young people navigate through this pornographic landscape? Does the omnipresence of pornography breed curiosity or resistance? How does pornography challenge the role of parents and teachers? Generation P? provides answers to these questions and presents a unique body of new research on youth, gender and pornography. The study shows that the vast majority of young people in the Nordic countries have seen porn. But young people do not swallow the pornographic messages without resistance, and some are very critical of or actively opposed to them. It is very seldom that the voices of young people are heard in the public debate on pornography. In Generation P? focus is set on the voices, definitions and experiences with pornography of young people themselves. The book contains contributions from leading researchers from different academic fields: sociology, psychology, media research, social work and public health.

Immigrant women in Sweden often have unmet sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs. Successful contraceptive counselling may improve their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The unique Swedish model, with midwives as the main providers of contraceptive counselling, is important for immigrant women's health at both individual and societal levels. This study explored immigrant women's perspectives on receiving contraceptive counselling from midwives in Sweden, in order to obtain deeper knowledge about the factors they perceive as important in the counselling situation. Nineteen in-depth individual interviews were conducted from December 2018 to February 2019, followed by qualitative manifest and latent content analysis. Trust emerged as the overall important factor in the contraceptive counselling meeting. Knowledge was lacking about the midwife's professional role as a contraceptive counsellor. Contraceptive counselling was seen as a private matter not easily shared with unfamiliar midwives or interpreters. Previous experiences of contraceptives and preconceptions were important considerations for contraceptive choice, but communicating these needs required trust. Women also wanted more knowledge about contraceptives and SRH care and rights. Cultural and social norms concerning when and why to use contraceptives needed to be acknowledged in the midwife encounter. Although immigrant women want more knowledge about contraception, a trustful relationship with the midwife is needed to be able to make informed contraceptive choices. Midwives may need increased awareness of the many factors influencing immigrant women's choices to ensure their contraceptive autonomy. Policy changes that promote new ways of counselling and ability to provide continuous care are needed.

Background: Every year approximately 1500 adolescents (aged 12-20) are placed at Swedish detention homes run by the National Board of Institutional Care (SiS) according to the laws of “The young persons act” or “Secure institutional treatment for young offenders instead of prison”. Little is known about the sexual health of these adolescents, although earlier research, mainly international, strongly indicates that troubled youths in general are subjected to sexual exposure. Methods: A survey covering different aspects of sexual health with 148 boys (64 %) and girls (36 %) with an average age of 17 at Swedish detention homes was conducted. The survey focused sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviours and the results were compared with the answers from other youths. Results: The adolescents at detention homes holds different attitudes towards sexuality compared to the ones in the national sample. They are to a greater extent, the boys more than the girls, negative towards homosexual relations; the girls’ sexual actions are judged harder than boys’; and none considered themselves as being homosexual although close to one third of the girls consider themselves as being bisexual. The average age for sexual debut, which most commonly took place with an older person with whom the boy or girl did not have an ongoing relationship, is three years earlier compared to other youths. Alcohol and drugs during sexual debut, experiences of sex against ones will, of selling and buying sex, of unprotected vaginal intercourse, of becoming or making someone pregnant is more common within the group. Conclusion: The results, although not unexpected, provides important knowledge to be used in comprehensive sexual health education which we suggest should be offered these young persons during their stay at the youth detention homes. The aim is to develop such a curriculum, let the detained adolescents reflect upon it in focus-groups and implement it.

Many, although not all, juvenile detainees are known to be sexual risk-takers but little attention has been paid to why they engage in early sexual intercourse, have more partners, often have sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and without protection. To understand the rationale behind sexual risk-taking among detained adolescents. Qualitative study of interviews with nine girls and 11 boys, aged 15 to 20 years, at detention centres in southern Sweden. Two major categories surface in the analysis of the interviews: contradictions and vulnerability. A core category, chance outdoes risk that describes the adolescents' pragmatic view on sexual risk-taking as being a chance of something good rather than a risk of something bad, captures the connection between these categories and the individual. Among our interviewees, sexual chance taking appears rewarding. Recognising this rationality is valuable for all professionals promoting sexual health within similar groups of youths.

Background: Youth subjected to enforced placement due to criminality, alcohol or drug abuse or antisocial behavior is a vulnerable group; their overall health as well as their sexual health is lower than the one of their non-detained peers. In a previous survey 2010 we found elevated sexual risk-taking among Swedish adolescent at detention centers. What is the underlying significance of these risky sexual actions, such as first intercourse at the age of 11-12, sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and/or having unprotected sex with an unknown partner? Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted in 2011 with 9 girls and 11 boys aged 15-20 who at the time of the interviews were subject to mandatory care in enforced placement. Using constructivist Grounded Theory, these interviews were analyzed jointly with the results from a previous 2010 survey that included 148 detainees aged 15-20. Results: The sexual risk-taking can be understood along three separate but intersecting dimensions: the individual, the group and the society. Individual differences such as gender, age, ethnicity, substance abuse and cognitive ability affect the risk-taking. Furthermore, low school attendance leads up to a lack of basic sexual knowledge, and alcohol and drug use, and a chaotic lifestyle all contribute to hazardous risk assessment. On a group level the interned youth are seeking intimacy, confirmation and a sexual identity as other youth However, their search is on a societal level an ambivalent one, as they navigate between traditional and modern sexual norms. In their ongoing marginalized life, the desire to experience something good (intimacy, confirmation, pleasure), outweighs the risk for something bad (STI, unwanted pregnancy, unwanted sex) which lead to a pragmatic view of sex and sexual risk-taking. Conclusion: Respect for this pragmatic sexual risk-taking and its many different layers of origin as well as for its positive meaning for the adolescents is needed. Furthermore, understanding these intersecting dimensions is essential if preventive work within this group is to be regarded as relevant by the adolescents themselves. Key-words: sexual health, risk-taking, youth, youth detention centers, prevention, safer sex

Background: Youth subjected to enforced placement due to criminality, alcohol or drug abuse or antisocial behavior is a vulnerable group; their overall health as well as their sexual health is worse than the one of their non-detained peers. In a previous survey we found elevated sexual risk-taking among Swedish adolescent at detention centers. What is the underlying significance of these risky sexual actions, such as first intercourse at the age of 11-12, sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and/or having unprotected sex with an unknown partner? Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted in 2011 with 9 girls and 11 boys aged 15-20 who at the time of the interviews were subject to mandatory care in enforced placement. Using constructivist Grounded Theory, these interviews were analyzed jointly with the results from a previous 2010 survey that included 148 detainees aged 15-20. Results: The sexual risk-taking can be understood along three separate but intersecting dimensions: the individual, the group and the society. Individual differences such as gender, age, ethnicity, substance abuse and cognitive ability affect the risk-taking. Like most adolescents in a normative context, the interned youth are seeking intimacy, confirmation and a sexual identity. Their search is an ambivalent one, as they navigate between traditional and modern sexual norms. For these teens from difficult backgrounds and with deleterious experiences, this process begins at an early age. Low school attendance leads up to a lack of basic sexual knowledge; in addition, alcohol and drug use, and in many instances a chaotic lifestyle all contribute to hazardous risk assessment. In their ongoing marginalized life, the desire to experience something good (intimacy, confirmation, pleasure), outweighs the risk for something bad (STI, unwanted pregnancy, unwanted sex). A pragmatic view of sex and sexual risk-taking occurs among the youth in this impacted population. Conclusion: Respect for this pragmatic sexual risk-taking and its many different layers of origin as well as for its positive meaning for the adolescents is needed. Furthermore, understanding these intersecting dimensions is essential if preventive work within this group is to be regarded as relevant by the adolescents themselves.

Tvångsomhändertagna ungdomar är riskutsatta på många områden. Denna artikel fokuserar specifikt ungdomar på statliga ungdomshem. Vi redogör för hur ett urval av dessa unga har svarat i en enkätundersökning rörande sexuell hälsa samt hur deras svar på flera väsentliga punkter skiljer sig från övriga unga. Forskningsresultatet som är det första i sitt slag i Sverige stämmer väl överens med tidigare forskning som visar på samband mellan flera olika riskfaktorer eller riskbeteenden varav sexuellt risktagande är ett. Tillika ger det viktig kunskap att använda vid utformandet av en målgruppsanpassad modell för sex- och samlevnadsundervisning.

Purpose: To describe sexual health risks in an understudied group, youth in detention, and compare these to sexual health risks among non-detained youth. In addition, variables predicting adverse sexual health outcomes are sought and compared. Methods: In 2009, a self-administered questionnaire on sexuality was conducted amongst youth in Sweden. In 2010, the same Internet-based questionnaire was applied in a study at Swedish detention centres. In this article, sexually active youth aged 15–20 years in the two groups are compared and bivariate logistic regression analyses are conducted in order to find predictors of adverse sexual health outcomes, among detainees and non-detainees respectively. Results: Major differences between the detained and the non-detained concerning a majority of risk-taking variables exist. Conclusions: Although detained youth display several risky sexual behaviors, no specific risk factors are found in a logistic regression analysis. However, this is a vulnerable group. The mere fact that an adolescent is placed at a detention centre should be an imperative for professionals to address the subject of sexual health and safer sex. Furthermore, the results will be used in a forthcoming sex education curriculum tailored especially at detained youth. This is one, but by far not the only way to minimize the health inequalities that are presented in this study.

This qualitative study explores experiences of intimacy and sexuality during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic of 3357 participants from Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, and Turkey. Data were collected through open-ended questions within a survey on sexuality during the pandemic. Based on a reflexive thematic analysis three themes occurred. The first theme No change was described by 41% when summarizing their sex life during the pandemic. The second theme Positive change was experienced by 25%, and the third theme Negative change by 21%. An overarching theme then emerged as: "Still the same trajectories, but the pandemic could be a catalyst for improved or worsened sex- life." For those intimate partnered individuals who already had problems with intimacy and sexuality before the COVID-19 pandemic it seemed to remain the same or deteriorated throughout the pandemic. For those with positive experiences of intimacy and sexuality before the COVID-19 pandemic it remained the same or improved throughout the pandemic. These findings are relevant for researchers and clinicians in developing preventive and supportive interventions in the context of crisis and social isolation.

Every year, Riksbankens jubileumsfond (RJ) publishes an essay collection on a current topic. Its aim is to provide a snapshot of the breadth and quality of contemporary research in the humanities and social sciences. In 2023 seven researchers have contributed texts on the theme of THE DEADLY SINS IN OUR TIME, presented as individually bound essays in a box set. This chapter - Lust, from fornication to dating apps - gives a broad picture of sexuality within a historical and cultural conctext and discusses wheter sexuality and desire is a deadly sin todat or not.

The aim of this report is to provide in-depth knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights among young adults with intellectual disabilities. The report is based on a qualitative study performed in 2018 in Malmö, Sweden. A total of 19 interviews with teenagers and young adults between 16 and 31 years old attending schools for persons with learning disabilities were performed, including 9 men and 10 women. The interviewees had minor or moderate intellectual disabilities and their verbal and communicative skills were relatively good, although these varied within the group. Of the 19 interviewees, 15 had one or two parents born in another country than Sweden.

Results in brief:

• The majority of the interviewees were satisfied with their general and sexual health.
• Most of the interviewees said that they are free to choose a partner on their own, while a few declared that their parents and relatives had opinions about or chose a partner for them.
• Experiences of genital mutilation exist among a few of the female interviewees, the genital mutilation were undertaken in their previous home countries. None of the male interviewees have experienced circumcision.
• Some of the interviewees had experiences of kissing, hugging, petting and intercourse, while others had not had any sexual experiences with a partner.
• Some of the interviewees had had relationships. These relationships did not always include sexual acts with a partner.
• Most of the interviewees had had sexual education in school, but the education was perceived as insufficient or irrelevant. Some of the interviewees lacked basic sexual knowledge.
• The internet is used to search for sex-related information and to stay in touch with friends, to find partners or to use pornography.
• Experiences of non- consensual sex such as sexual harassment, sexual violations and rape were reported exist among the interviewees. Moreover, there were experiences of having been tricked online and of having been harrassed or violated among the interviewees.

Ways forward

Young people with intellectual disabilities need sexual education adjusted to their needs and preconditions. There is also a need for strengthened work regarding the prevention of sexual harassment and violations, both online and offline. Moreover, further research is needed on intellectual disability in relation to sexuality and honor related contexts, in order to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights among young people with intellectual disability.

This study aimed to explore how sex education in special schools in Sweden is influenced and challenged by the multicultural aspects of modern society. In particular, it sought to explore professionalls' experiences of sex education and of honour-related experiences among young people with intellectual disabilities. Data from five individual interviews and one focus groups with four professionals were thematically analysed using sexual scripts as a theoretical framework. The results reveal an ambivalent honour-related script geared toward pupils with intellectual disabilities from cultural backgrounds differing from those of the Swedish mainstream. The provision of sex education, including information about honour-related experiences, is especially important because of these young people’s vulnerability; however, addressing the subject effectively is sensitive and complicated. Colleagues with different cultural backgrounds can act as ‘culture bridges’ for professionals who lack strategies, methods and materials. Increasing professionals’ prerequisite qualifications (e.g. further education, supervision) and adopting autonomy-promoted conduct can empower pupils with intellectual disability to exercise autonomy over their sexuality outside their immediate cultural context.

This study is part of a larger research project that explore the evolution of sexology profession in Sweden, and additionally compare some of these trends with other European sexologists. More specific, this study aims to get in-depth knowledge of Swedish sexologist’s own descriptions of themselves and their profession. Data was collected through qualitative research interviews with 34 professionally active sexologists and members of The Swedish Association for Sexology, [SFS], 26 women and 8 men, aged 34–88 years. Results show that the informants can be divided into medical and therapeutical sexologists, all of whom identify strongly with their primary profession prior to becoming sexologists. Physician as sexologist has given way to healthcare professionals such as social workers and nurses, whereby sexology has been transformed into a female-dominated field in Sweden as well as in other European countries. This paradigm shift has has created tensions between different approaches. Based on varying skills and educational backgrounds, different groups of sexologists have emerged: pioneers, competence sexologists, entrepreneurs, research sexologists and the non-professionals. Competition is not experienced toward others within the interdisciplinary realm of sexology, but rather between those who have professional authority and those non-professionals who strive for legitimacy in the field.

This article aims to describe sexologist as a profession. Data was collected through qualitative research interviews with 34 members of The Swedish Association for Sexology. By using a sociological perspective on the professionalization process different groups have emerged in the sexological landscape: pioneers, competence sexologists, entrepreneurs, research sexologists and the non-professionals. The informants emphasize collaboration and respect between the different domains, with the exception of those who are not considered sufficiently competent. The criteria for who gets to use the title are ongoing, just as the process of sexologist as a profession.

Introduction and objectives: In 2007 a new master program in sexology started within the faculty of Health and Society at Malmö University, Sweden. This pilot study aims to explore who the master students are, and the pedagogical implications for the substance, methods and organization of the program. Method: A pilot questionnaire study has been conducted during the spring of 2008. The sample is limited to the first class of master students at the sexology program at Malmö University. 23 out of 29 students answered and completed the questionnaire. Results: A majority of the students are women (20), ages 35-45 (10), and married or cohabit (16). Almost half of the students are social workers (11) and nurses and midwifes (8). Most of them are professionals with sexological elements as a part of their daily work (16). A majority intends to work as sexologists (16), and more than half of the master students want to begin a research career (16). Conclusion: The varying backgrounds of the master students urge the teachers to aim for scholarship of teaching, meaning both being experts on their fields and experts on teaching. The student’s diverse competences can also be used at the master program according to learning as participation in a social practice. Many of the students aspire for a research career, which means that Malmö University has to organize and prepare for studies on a higher level.

This article aims to describe sexologist as a profession. Data was collected through qualitative research interviews with 34 members of the Swedish Association for Sexology. By using a sociological perspective on the professionalization process, different groups have emerged in the sexological landscape: pioneers, competence sexologists, entrepreneurs, research sexologists and the non-professionals. The informants emphasize collaboration and respect between the different domains, with the exception of those who are not considered sufficiently competent. The criteria for who gets to use the title are ongoing, just as the process of sexologist as a profession. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Dagens unga med utvecklingsstörning är den första generation som vuxit upp i familj. Men de befinner sig också i skärningspunkten mellan gamla och nya vård- och omsorgsideologier. Hur ser egentligen möjligheterna till självbestämmande och normalisering ut när det gäller de mer privata delarna av livet? Vad säger de unga med utvecklingsstörning själva om sina möjligheter till kärlek och sexualitet? Vilken betydelse har omgivningens inställning? ”Får jag lov?” bygger på en etnografisk avhandling och utgår från dansobservationer och intervjuer med ungdomar med utvecklingsstörning samt personal och anhöriga. Ungdomarnas drömmar och erfarenheter samt omgivningens ambivalens och dilemman beskrivs och analyseras. Boken vänder sig både till studenter och yrkesverksamma inom omsorgs-, habiliterings-, särskole- och fritidsverksamheter samt till anhöriga.

This article examines the value of using Crip Theory by investigating what is considered normal sex life for people with intellectual disabilities in Sweden. By combining Crip Theory with Gagnon and Simon’s sexual scripting theory, it concludes that Crip Theory can be of use for researchers and activists, and also suitable for educating staff members, in that it questions sexual norms that are most often taken for granted. However, due to the fact that research or activism inspired by Crip Theory seldom includes intellectual disabilities, its usefulness is limited, and more work is needed to solve problems surrounding agency, stigma and visibility.

This article examines the value of using Crip Theory by investigating what is considered normal sexl life for people with intellectual disabilities in Sweden. By combining Crip Theory with Gagnon and Simon's sexual scripting theory, it concludes that Crip Theory can be of use for researchers and activists, and also suitable for educating staff members, in that it questions sexual norms that are most often taken for granted. However, due to the fact that research of activism inspired by Crip Theory seldom includes intellectual disabilities, its usefulness is limited, and more work is needed to solve problems surrounding agency, stigma and visibility.

Det finns ett stort behov av kunskap inom området sexualitet och unga med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar. Där är "Hur gör man?" ett värdefullt bidrag för personal inom särskole-, omsorgs-, habiliterings- och fritidsverksamheter. Den kan också läsas med stor behållning av anhöriga och andra intresserade av ämnet. Boken innehåller en teoridel, som hjälper läsaren att reflektera kring ämnet och en omfattande metoddel med stöd och inspiration för att leda samtalsgrupper för unga med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar.

In Sweden sex education has been compulsory since 1955. However, access to sex education seems to be insufficient in schools with special education programs. Concerns about unwanted pregnancies, sexual abuse and sexual risk situations make personnel insecure about how to best deal with the subject. A largely heteronormative perspective of sex education renders young gay people with ID an invisible group. Stereotyped gender norms where girls are supposed to be oriented towards love and relationships and boys towards sexuality make it more difficult for young people with ID to find a more subtle way to act. The aim of this study is to strengthen sexual health among young people with ID, and to develop a knowledge base culled from their own experiences that can help teachers in special schools to supply sufficient sex education. What are the experiences of sex education in young people with ID aged 16–21? In what way, and by whom, should sex education be supplied? What themes do the young people with ID consider important? Qualitative research interviews with 16 young females (9) and males (7) with ID aged 16–21 years have been conducted. Guiding the analyses is an interactionist perspective on sexuality. Results show that a restrictive script is geared toward informants with ID, focusing on sexual risks instead of challenging a discourse of pleasure, desire and intimacy. The study also shows that using critical pedagogy can help personnel develop a professional and adequate teaching model for sex education at schools for adolescents with ID.

Introduction + Method: The Internet has become a common way for people to contact each other, to flirt and start relationships. How does this development influence today’s young people with intellectual disabilities (ID)? This qualitative study is based on interviews with 10 young people with intellectual disabilities and 12 staff members in Sweden during the year of 2005. Findings and discussion: Young people with ID also use Internet, mainly for social and romantic reasons. They view the Internet as a positive arena where they can be “like everybody else” without mentioning their disabilities. It is seen as a “free-zone” from the control by staff members and parents. People around them tend to worry and focus on the risks of being deluded or abused involved in the usage. The young people themselves perceive the risks for disappointments or unfulfilled expectations in a partner as the more serious risk. Recommendations: It is important to meet the young people’s need of being a part of the youth net-culture, where they can social contacts and practicing communication and spelling. But also it is vital to inform about the risks of being deluded or abused in a nuanced way.

Internet har på ett revolutionerande sätt skapat nya virtuella mötesplatser och förändrat kommunikationsformerna mellan människor. Numera kan man ta kontakt med potentiella partners, flörta, förälska sig och skapa relationer via cyberspace. Men i vilken mån används Internet och den nya tekniken av unga med utvecklingsstörning för att exempelvis söka partners? Används cyberspace som en ny social arena även bland dessa unga? Vad anser de själva om kärlek och sex på Internet? Vilka för- och nackdelar ser omsorgs- och särskolepersonal med Internet och utvecklingsstörning? Boken bygger på en kvalitativ intervjustudie med unga med utvecklingsstörning och personal inom omsorg, särskole- och fritidsverksamheter, och avser att ge svar på dessa och liknande frågor. Den vänder sig till alla som är intresserade av levnadsvillkoren för personer med utvecklingsstörning och av de nya kommunikationsformer som utvecklats via Internet. Främst är boken tänkt att användas inom vård- och omsorgsutbildningar, men även av personal som arbetar inom exempelvis omsorgs-, habiliterings- och särskoleverksamheter.

Internet has become an increasingly usual way for people to contact each other, to flirt, fall in love and start relationships. How does this development influence today’s young people with intellectual disabilities? The presentation will present a picture of the Internet experiences of some of today’s adolescents with intellectual disabilities and of the surrounding world’s view on this usage of Internet. The presentation is based on a qualitative study in which 10 young people with intellectual disabilities and 12 staff members were interviewed. The results show that young people with intellectual disabilities of today also use Internet mainly for social and love life reasons. They view Internet as a positive arena where they can be “like everybody else” and therefore they generally present themselves without mentioning their disabilities. However, their surrounding world tends to worry considerably, mainly focusing on the risks involved in this usage of Internet. The study has been published as a Swedish monography: Löfgren-Mårtenson, L. (2005) Kärlek.nu. Om Internet och unga med utvecklingsstörning [Love.now. About Internet and Young People with intellectual disabilities]. Lund, Studentlitteratur. An article in English is also in press in: Löfgren-Mårtenson, L. (2006) Love in cyberspace ­ a new social arena for people with intellectual disabilities? Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research.

The Internet has become an increasingly common way for people to contact each other, to flirt, fall in love and start relationships. How does this development influence today's young people with intellectual disabilities? The article presents a picture of the Internet experiences of some young adults with intellectual disabilities and discusses how others view this usage. It is based on a qualitative study in Sweden where 10 young people with intellectual disabilities and 12 staff members were interviewed. The interviews show that young people with intellectual disabilities also use the Internet, mainly for social and romantic reasons. They view the Internet as a positive arena where they can be “like everybody else” and therefore generally present themselves without mentioning their disabilities. However, people around them tend to worry considerably and focus mainly on the risks involved in this usage of the Internet.

Introduction and method: The Internet has become a common way for people to contact each other, to flirt and start relationships. How does this development influence today’s young people with intellectual disabilities (ID)? This qualitative study is based on interviews with 10 young people with intellectual disabilities and 12 staff members in Sweden. Findings and discussion: Young people with ID also use Internet, mainly for social and romantic reasons. They view the Internet as a positive arena where they can be “like everybody else” without mentioning their disabilities. It is seen as a “free-zone” from the control by staff members and parents. People around them tend to worry and focus on the risks of being deluded or abused involved in the usage. The young people themselves perceive the risks for disappointments or unfulfilled expectations in a partner as the more serious risk. Recommendations: It is important to meet the young people’s need of being a part of the youth net-culture, where they can social contacts and practicing communication and spelling. But also it is vital to inform about the risks of being deluded or abused in a nuanced way.

Hur ser möjligheterna för kärlek och sexualitet ut för ungdomar med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar? Liknar erfarenheterna "alla andras"? Om inte, hur skiljer de sig åt? Kapitlet ger en bild av dagens unga med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar och deras erfarenheter av sexualitet och kärlek

Bakgrund och syfte: Ett nytt masterprogram i sexologi startade hösten 2007 vid enheten för Hälsa och samhälle, Malmö högskola. Programmet fick ett stort antal sökande och syftet med denna pilotstudie är att undersöka vilka det är som studerar sexologi på masternivå, och pedagogiska implikationer för programmets innehåll, metoder och organisation. Pilotstudien ingår som ett första steg i en större studie om professionalisering av sexologer. Metod: En webbaserad enkät konstruerades utifrån Malmö högskolas program ”Artologik Query & Report”. Urvalet är begränsat till Kull 1, och av 29 studenter svarade 22 på frågorna. Resultaten presenteras i antal personer istället för procent på grund av materialets storlek. Resultat: Majoriteten av masterstudenterna är kvinnor (20), ett fåtal män (2), i åldern 35-45 (10), samt gifta/ sammanboende (16). Flertalet arbetar inom sjukvården (8) och har en socionomexamen (11), sjuksköterske- (4) eller barnmorskeexamen (4). Fler än hälften har läst sexologi tidigare (14) och har ett arbete där sexologiska moment ingår (16). De går programmet pga. önskan om kompetensutveckling (17), vill arbeta som sexolog framöver (16), samt personlig utveckling (12). En stor andel vill forska inom sexualitet och sexuell hälsa (13). Konklusion: Studenternas varierande bakgrund och förväntningar på programmet innebär att lärarna bör sträva efter Scholarship of Teaching (Kreber 2002), dvs. både vara experter på sitt område och på att undervisa. Men studenternas skilda kompetenser kan också användas i utbildningen, utifrån metaforen ”lärande som deltagande i en social praktik” (Sfard 1998). En stor andel av masterstudenterna avser att fortsätt studier på forskarnivå, vilket bör uppmärksammas av högskolan. Nyckelord: master i sexologi, tvärvetenskaplighet, pedagogiska utmaningar, resurser .

Bakgrund och syfte: Ett nytt masterprogram i sexologi startade hösten 2007 vid enheten för Hälsa och samhälle, Malmö högskola. Programmet fick ett stort antal sökande och syftet med denna pilotstudie är att undersöka vilka det är som studerar sexologi på masternivå, och pedagogiska implikationer för programmets innehåll, metoder och organisation. Pilotstudien ingår som ett första steg i en större studie om professionalisering av sexologer. Metod: En webbaserad enkät konstruerades utifrån Malmö högskolas program ”Artologik Query & Report”. Urvalet är begränsat till Kull 1, och av 29 studenter svarade 22 på frågorna. Resultaten presenteras i antal personer istället för procent på grund av materialets storlek. Resultat: Majoriteten av masterstudenterna är kvinnor (20), ett fåtal män (2), i åldern 35-45 (10), samt gifta/ sammanboende (16). Flertalet arbetar inom sjukvården (8) och har en socionomexamen (11), sjuksköterske- (4) eller barnmorskeexamen (4). Fler än hälften har läst sexologi tidigare (14) och har ett arbete där sexologiska moment ingår (16). De går programmet pga. önskan om kompetensutveckling (17), vill arbeta som sexolog framöver (16), samt personlig utveckling (12). En stor andel vill forska inom sexualitet och sexuell hälsa (13). Konklusion: Studenternas varierande bakgrund och förväntningar på programmet innebär att lärarna bör sträva efter Scholarship of Teaching (Kreber 2002), dvs. både vara experter på sitt område och på att undervisa. Men studenternas skilda kompetenser kan också användas i utbildningen, utifrån metaforen ”lärande som deltagande i en social praktik” (Sfard 1998). En stor andel av masterstudenterna avser att fortsätt studier på forskarnivå, vilket bör uppmärksammas av högskolan.

The aim of the article is to identify, describe and understand the opportunities and hindrances for young people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in forming relationships and expressing sexuality and love. The methods are participant observations at dances geared towards youths with ID and qualitative interviews with youngsters, staff members and parents. The results show a big variation of sexual conduct, where intercourse seems to be quite unusual. The study also shows that staff and parents feel responsibility for the youngsters sexuality and often act disciplinary as new institutional walls, while the youngsters develop different social strategies to cope with the surroundings. It seems clear that staffs need more guidance and education about sexuality and disability in their social interaction with a new generation of people with ID.

The overall objective of this study is to explore the evolution of sexology profession in Sweden, and additionally to compare some of these trends with otherEuropean sexologists. More specific, the study aims to get in-depth knowledge of Swedish sexologist’s own descriptionsof themselves and their profession. Data was collected through qualitative research interviews with 34 professionally active sexologistsand members of The Swedish Association for Sexology, [SFS],26 womenand 8 men, aged 34–88 years.Results show that the informants can be divided into medical and therapeutical sexologists, all of whom identify strongly with their primary profession prior to becoming sexologists. Physician as sexologist has given way to healthcare professionals such as social workers and nurses, whereby sexology has been transformed into a female-dominated field in Sweden as well as in other European countries. This paradigm shift has has created tensions between different approaches. Based on varying skills and educational backgrounds, different groups of sexologists have emerged:pioneers, competence sexologists,entrepreneurs,research sexologists and the non-professionals. Competition is not experienced toward others within the interdisciplinary realm of sexology, but rather between those who have professional authority and those non-professionals who strive for legitimacy in the field.

Sexualitet är ett laddat och mångfacetterat begrepp, som de flesta har egna upplevelser att knyta an till. Men det är också ett föränderligt fenomen, utifrån ett historiskt, kulturellt och samhälleligt perspektiv. I den här boken redogörs för en socialkonstruktivistisk syn på sexualitet, och dessutom granskas och diskuteras olika sätt att förstå och analysera begreppet.