In the Heat of the Moment: Making Difficult Decisions about Sex

 In the Heat of the Moment: Making Difficult Decisions about Sex

(2018) 16 min. DVD: $149.95 (study guide included). Human Relations Media. PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 978-1-62706-097-4.

Educational programs about sex tend to focus on consent and consequences, but In the Heat of the Moment concentrates more on what happens beforehand, which can be especially tricky territory for teenagers to navigate. The program combines interviews with experts and students together with scene-setting dramatic re-enactments. Clinical psychologist Robert Eckstein recommends that potential sex partners have a game plan before getting together. His advice revolves around factors other than simple physical attraction, such as considering whether a partner is trustworthy or whether her or she has one’s best interest in mind. Some young people say they found it helpful to talk to a friend or close relative, such as an older brother or sister, before engaging in sexual activity. Eckstein also recommends that young people consider the consequences, including sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. In other words, it’s best to talk about birth control, in addition to sexual preferences, beforehand instead of waiting until the last minute. Maggie Wells, an education and outreach coordinator from the Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program at the University of New Hampshire, cautions against relying on non-verbal cues, which can be more easily misinterpreted, while Eckstein points out that drug and alcohol use can complicate the ability to give or interpret consent. Jaymie Campbell from AccessMatters, a non-profit organization dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, adds that giving consent once doesn’t mean that it applies every time. As Dee, one of the six students here, notes, “Silence doesn’t mean yes.” A lot of common sense advice is shared here that would apply just as well to adults as to teenagers. Recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (K. Fennessy)

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