A sex educator was the person who talked about body parts, hygiene and how to have sex. The sexual expression of masturbation was tolerated or ignored, not regarded as a positive aspect of the individual's life. The religious taboos about sex outside of marriage and about masturbation helped to reinforce this view. Interestingly enough, the facilities of today have changed greatly from the institutions of 25 years ago. Wards or living areas that once held 40 or more people now have less than 20.
Residential staff have more training and are better qualified.
Services have improved and are designed to meet individual needs. It relates more to who we are than what we do. Policies and training Today, some facilities have sexuality policies which recognize that people with developmental disabilities are sexual beings and support all aspects of their relationships. Along with providing individual sexuality education, sexuality training is also available for staff to assist them in addressing the needs of people they work with in institutions. In examining healthy sexuality within the framework of the facility, one finds that there isn't much difference between facility concerns and barriers, and those in community agencies.