Healthy Sexuality, a National Dialogue and Josh Duggar.

In response to the Josh Duggar story that has been in the media this week, we posted a brief statement titled "Healthy Sexuality, a National Dialogue and Josh Duggar." We hope you will take a look and let us know if you have any questions. We have also pasted an excerpt below. 

"As the details around the Josh Duggar story continue to make their way into the forum of public opinion, we would like to ask people to take a step back and pause for a moment.

Why is this?

Because the Josh Duggar story is a learning moment for everyone who believes that children deserve great childhoods, as well as a moment to discuss what we teach our children about healthy sexuality when we teach them about sex.

As the Duggar story reflects, parents must find the comfort, courage and resources to have an open dialogue with their children about sexuality.

And why is this? Because:

- If something goes wrong, as it did here, children need language and permission to be able to seek help. 

- Youngsters, especially boys, need to learn early that sexual arousal is an autonomic response – a reflex caused by a thought, a memory or a touch – and that experiencing arousal does not mean that they need to act on it.

- Unchecked curiosity about sexual anatomy can lead a child of either gender to “explore” other children. 

Once we know this, what else do we need to understand?"