Six Principles of Sexual Health
Women and men rarely ask their family therapist to help them improve their sexual health. More than likely, people are concerned about their sexual behavior, sexual satisfaction or the lack of sexual pleasure. Couples will often seek therapy to address conflicts about sexual frequency, sexual desire and the fallout after an affair. Changing unwanted consequences of sexual behavior may be highly prevalent motivations for seeking therapy, however they make up just a small component of the much larger concept of sexual health.
What are Six Principles of Sexual Health?
Doug Braun-Harvey developed Six Principles of Sexual Health by adapting the 2000 Pan American Health Association definition of Sexual Health. His six principles of sexual health construct a broad international set of minimum ground rules upon which each person can come to know their own specific individual vision of their personal sexual health (Braun-Harvey, 2009). These six principles provide a foundational framework for beginning to seek balance between sexual safety and pleasure while ensuring sexual rights.
Think of these six principles of sexual health as aspirations and goals for living your sexual life in such a way that you feel proud and that supports those you love and our greater society to have a method for aspiring toward a lifetime journey toward improving sexual health.
What are the Six Principles of Sexual Health?
- Consent
- Nonexploitation
- Honesty
- Shared Values
- Prevention from Sexually Transmitted Infections and Blood Borne Infections (STBBI’s)
- Pleasure
Click the links below to learn more about each principle.