Sociology Professor Michael Obsatz at Macalester College in St. Paul, in a discussion of women being objectified by the media, said we are creating a society of predators. Each minute, 1.3 women are raped, and one in three women will be raped in her lifetime, he said. Professor Fred Hebert, chair of UW-Stevens Point s School of Health, Exercise Science and Athletics, shared his insights as a panelist, saying he talks about love with his students. Herbert confirmed this, saying he gives a 20-question test to his students at the beginning of each class, and they don t do well on it. Conference participants identified the challenges they face, and discussed ways to meet them.
Spirituality is a part of sexuality, as are culture and values.
One challenge is to help students understand how these components fit together to form a whole person. It would be important to make them fun, and to publicize them well, so students would participate. Ehlinger summed up the responsibilities for the group, reminding them that their role is to help prepare students for life. They must work together as a community, sharing information and teaching, he said. They must help students feel safe to abstain from sex if they wish, or to engage in sexual activity if that is what they choose to do.