Abstract:

The sexuality of people with disabilities is a little discussed topic in society. People often have conflicting views on it, ranging from an unrestricted preference for it to a rejection of it. However, it is an indisputable fact that these people experience their sexuality in a similar way to able-bodied people. We should therefore be supportive in its fulfilment and approach the problem sympathetically. This paper deals with the current issue of the sexuality of young people with intellectual disabilities. It presents the results of an exploratory probe conducted in 2022-2023 in the east of Slovakia. The survey was conducted through an author's questionnaire among pupils with intellectual disabilities and semi-structured interviews with the interviewed educators. The survey concerned their knowledge in this area, which has a major impact on the quality of their (not only) sexual life. It also presents the educators' opinion on the importance of sex education for these pupils. The paper is a starting point for the effectiveness of sex education of pupils of special primary schools, which is the subject of our research.

Keywords:

Sexuality, sex education, partner relationships, vocational education, intellectual disability.