Dear Supporter, 

Yesterday, Alistair Strathern MP introduced the Relationships and Sex Education (Further Education Sector) Bill in Parliament, which comes off of the back of this petition. The Bill would make RSE mandatory up to age 18, ending the postcode lottery that currently leaves sixth-form and college students without consistent teaching on healthy relationships, consent and coercive control.

This wouldn't have happened without you. Your signatures over the last four years are what have made it possible to raise this issue's profile and get an MP to take it forward!

This matters because ONS data shows that 16-to-19-year-olds experience domestic abuse at a higher rate than any other age group, yet in England, mandatory RSE currently stops at 16, just as many young people are starting their first romantic and sexual relationships.  Extending RSE to the over 600,000 young people in further education would be a meaningful contribution to the government's target of halving violence against women and girls within a decade.

Alistair Strathern MP said: "For too long, children in further education have missed out because of gaps in provision of Relationships and Sex Education. At a time when the worst corners of the internet are preying on teenagers, with their own harmful takes on what makes a healthy relationship, we surely owe young people far better than this."

To become law our bill must pass three readings and votes, I will keep you updated with specific asks as things progress.

You can read more about the Bill here: https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/make-sex-and-relationship-education-mandatory-labour-mp-urges-5HjdbhJ_2/

With my best, 

Faustine