FacingDisability is shedding a light on the “hush-hush” topic of sex after spinal cord injury at the American Spinal Cord Injury Professionals (ASCIP) 2014 Conference in Saint Louis, August 31 through September 3. FacingDisability President, Thea Flaum and Sara Klaas, Director of Business Development at Shriners Hospitals for Children Chicago, will be giving a presentation on the continuing need for information on and the affects of sexuality after spinal cord injury based on the extensive use of sex-related material.
The pain, uncertainty and confusion of the first post-injury weeks, questions about sexuality often don’t get asked or don’t get answered. In addition, most injuries are sustained in early adulthood, at just the time when individuals are exploring their own sexuality.
So where do they go? They turn to the Internet. There are very few resources with information on sex specifically after spinal cord injury, and through Google Analytics, we found that the specific content viewed by all visitors (130,000 people) to FacingDisability.com in 2013 provides more evidence of the need for sex information and support.
A 2013 online survey of FacingDisability.com users rated “Sex and Fertility” (36 %) and “Adjusting to Social Life in a Wheelchair” (38%) among the “Most Helpful” videos by experts. The videos relating personal experiences that were deemed “most helpful” were those dealing with “Relationships after SCI” (45%) and “Social Life and Sex” (32%).
We believe FacingDisability.com is a helpful sex resource for those with SCI, their family and friends, as well as healthcare providers on rehabilitation teams. We hope to bring more awareness to the topic at ASCIP and look forward to sharing our feedback this fall.
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