Findings from Burnet Institute’s 2025 Sex, Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll Survey reveal significant gaps in sex education for young Australians, particularly around consent, sexual pleasure and healthy relationships.
lt shows many young Australians are navigating intimacy in a world heavily shaped by online pornography and social media – often without clear, practical guidance on healthy relationships.
The survey found:
77% of young people said sexual pleasure was not covered at school
84% said types of sex were not covered at school
Only 42% said consent education was covered well
Associate Professor Megan Lim, Head of Young People’s Health at Burnet says while young people are exposed to more sexual content than ever before, this content rarely reflects real-life intimacy.
“Porn and social media don’t show the conversations that make relationships healthy, things like boundaries, consent and checking in with each other,” she said.
Associate Professor Lim’s work highlights a gap between the expectations young people absorb online and the skills they need to build positive, respectful relationships offline.
This gap can contribute to pressure, confusion and difficulty communicating needs and boundaries.
As a response, The Gist program aims to support young people with evidence-based education about sex, relationships and wellbeing.
It focuses on educating young people on communication, consent and emotional safety, rather than performance or unrealistic ideals.
“So much sex education focuses on what not to do. Through programs like The Gist, we try to flip that and show the positive side of sex and relationships – what healthy, respectful connection can look like in real life.”
Burnet encourages young people, parents and educators to seek trusted, evidence-based resources when talking about relationships, sex and wellbeing.
“Consent and connection is a part of everything we do, not just for sex,” Associate Professor Lim said.
