Christmas is over, the New Year has begun. There’s only the last few unwanted choccies left in the tin and it’s time to take down the decorations. Pour yourself a glass of good cheer (or make a cup of tea), settle down, and let’s anticipate the year ahead. What’s 2011 going to bring us in terms of sex and relationships?

This is an annual task I set myself. To forecast things I think are going to happen which I glean from on my work as a Social Psychologist researching sex and relationships in an International Health context – and listening to other educators, practitioners, therapists, bloggers and healthcare staff working in the areas of sex/relationships. For this reason some of the predictions are focused more towards sex/science/health. You’ve doubtless got predictions of your own based on your interest in sex and relationships, so please don’t see this list as exhaustive. Maybe use it to create your own list of predictions for the coming year. (If you want to see my predictions from last year and whether I got any right, click here).

We’ll all get wedding fever
Well we might not, but the media certainly will. It’s no secret there’s a Royal Wedding in the spring. This is going to put the press into an absolute frenzy. The opportunities to talk about not only a Royal Wedding but also weddings generally will be too good to miss. Imagine the endless opportunities to discuss wedding dresses, rings, pumpkin coaches and no end of commercial nuptial possibilities you probably didn’t even know existed. There’ll be scores of chances for psychologists, body language experts and relationship therapists to discuss the ins and outs of the engaged couple’s experiences before, during and after their wedding. And loads of opportunities to speculate about the Royals’ lives, or prescribe to us how weddings and marriage should be.

Opportunities to talk about diverse relationships – non monogamies, cohabitation, or being less judgemental about singledom, will be few and far between. Although we may see the Royal Wedding be something to revisit debates around civil partnerships vs marriage. Whatever happens I predict if we’re not already heartily sick of the Royal Wedding and wedding fever – we most certainly will be by the end of April!

The ‘science of sex’ is going to be super popular
From kissing to orgasm we’re going to get very interested in the ‘science’ of sex in 2011. Books, television and radio programmes, plus public science events will be tackling a wide range of topics including the science behind sexual behaviours and sexuality. Along with deeper explorations into the methods used to study sex – and an insight into the lives of (some) sex researchers.

Some of these are going to be amazing, groundbreaking and exciting. Others will be the predictable reductionist approach to both ‘science’ and ‘sex’. These accounts will focus more on biology and neurology (although not necessarily in a cutting edge way). In the process ‘sex science’ will be treated in an ahistorical, heteronormative and culturally biased fashion. The media is going to love ‘sexy science’, will treat it as if it’s an entirely new discipline, but will give far more attention to the more simplistic views of sex/science than the more nuanced, interesting and ethical research that many sexologists strive for.

Related to a fascination with sexy science there are also several large scale (epidemiological) sex surveys already underway (such as the NATSAL survey which is in the midst of data collection currently), and a major International sexological conference in Glasgow this Summer there’s plenty to be interested in relating to sex research.

This isn’t a prediction but I do hope sex researchers take the opportunity to reflect on and share more of their work via blogs and the mainstream media as it is something that continues to fascinate the public and yet often remains highly inaccessible. Let’s make sexology more open access in 2011!

Sex research is going to have to do more for less
Academics are seeing cuts across the board, but sexology (particularly critical sexology) is going to be one area that is more affected than other disciplines. Sex research that falls within the health/medical areas may fend better, but critical research and practice around less ‘mainstream’ topics is certainly going to struggle. Topics such as non monogamies; challenging heteronormative approaches; critical thinking around mainstream topics like ‘sexualisation’; researching pleasure; porn studies; Queer and Trans studies and research on alternative sexualities and BDSM are in need of inquiry but will struggle to get funding. For this reason practitioners, academics and activists are going to have to work more collaboratively, find ways to do ‘more for less’, consider methodological approaches that permit them to ethically explore areas without large scale budgets, and think about new ways to share information with colleagues and the public.

It is going to be a difficult year for those working in the more thoughtful and political areas of sex research. Fortunately networks such as Onscenity are already being established among academic communities, working internationally and cross disciplines to try and broaden research opportunities and mentor researchers.

Similar problems will also be affecting sex and relationships research in international health/development, although I’ve not see the same kind of mobilisation there, particularly not in public health. With the exception of some more foresighted groups and individuals, the majority of research on sexual health internationally seems to becoming narrower in focus – not least because of budgetary restrictions. This in turn is having a depressing effect on training and support for people working in reproductive healthcare and education.

One thing is certain, money may be limited but people’s need for information on sex and relationships is not.

Austerity measures will affect our sexual (and other) lives
It’s all a bit doom and gloom with my predictions this year, but unfortunately we are looking at a bleak year ahead. Financial cuts plus increased demands will undoubtedly affect Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. Practitioners are already warning particularly about the negative impact this will have on GU clinics and maternity services. With the end of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy it is unclear what established services for teen parents will be retained. Sexual, reproductive and relationships outreach services may also be affected by local government cuts – and we can be certain where this happens the first to be affected will be projects aimed at sex workers, LGBTIQ groups, ethnic minorities and excluded young people.

Also additional cuts on benefits, rising unemployment and stealth cuts to educational, youth and arts charities will have a knock on negative impact on the nation’s relationships health. This may not seem obvious but proposed cuts aimed at people with disabilities won’t just impact on standards of living and opportunities for work, they will also impact on the ability to be able to date, socialise, form or maintain relationships (or generally have any energy or confidence for intimacy). Young people face losing clubs and activities that give them things to do, aspirations and goals. After school clubs and similar social activities face closure as to arts programmes – all having funding cut via stealth. Realistic efforts to tackle housing and poverty issues seem unattainable (or counteracted by benefit cuts elsewhere). We know young people who lack supervision, activities and who live in poverty and without adequate schooling and support are at a far higher risk of unplanned pregnancy, early sexual debut and STIs (more info here). It is perhaps unsurprising many practitioners, educators, parents and young people are already anxious about what the year will bring – and sadly we may see many casualties of the cuts before the year is out.

You might get ‘nudged’
It’s not as naughty as it might sound. If you’ve not heard about ‘nudging’, it’s a theory by economist Richard Thayler that was popular in the US prior to being noticed here by civil servants, politicians and some health/social care practitioners. Sometimes described as ‘libertarian paternalism’ it’s a form of behaviour change. It was designed from a financial perspective but has been applied to various areas – including healthcare (particularly issues like reproductive health, obesity etc).

Because previous attempts at behaviour change (in healthcare at least) were viewed as clunky, top down and overbearing ‘nudging’ aims to still manage people’s behaviour but through changing aspects of their lives to making them feel more in control over what they are doing. Critics obviously still see this as top down and oppressive, not fully engaging communities and focused usually at particular groups politicians view as ‘problematic’ (the poor, ethnic minorities, young people). David Cameron has been a fan of nudging for a while, and it has slowly been gathering momentum within political and policy making circles. However, as with any theory it has limitations and requires understanding and critiquing within an academic context. There’s no real evidence the coalition has done this so in 2011 we will see a version of ‘nudging’ being adopted and sold to us via politicians, charities, healthcare groups etc. Most of whom will be keen on this latest buzzword but won’t necessarily understand the theory behind it. It won’t stop it becoming popular, however. Not just in the UK. Practitioners keen on behaviour change models are already adopting this theory for use in the global South – frequently overlooking cultural differences that may make such interventions untenable.

Sexualisation will remain a popular political cause
Over the past few years we’ve seen the term ‘sexualisation’ enter popular culture with several countries commissioning reports into its effects. In the UK these reports are currently being re-evaluated. In 2011 we’ll continue to see the media focus on this subject and politicians see it as a major issue (particularly for young girls). Critical debates of the term will be less common, but we will see debates on the impact on sexualisation extend to talking about porn – with more conservative plans suggested to implement various blocks and bans on accessing materials. Addressing wider issues around gender, sexuality, sex education access to information and advice for young people will not be given priority. Nor will listening to young people themselves or acknowledging they may have any opinions or agency in this area. I think we can also anticipate growing links between Conservative/faith based groups and anti porn feminists moving to make porn/sexualisation more of a campaign issue – much like some of you will remember from the 1980s and early 1990s, and echoing what has already happened in Australia.

Mainstream media sex coverage will become increasingly limited
I know I’m a bit of a broken record over poor media sex coverage, but I’m going a bit further and predicting this year it is going to get worse. I’m probably setting myself a hard task with this prediction since I’m going to have to find evidence to support such a claim at the close of 2011. Or perhaps journalists could just save me the job by vowing to produce quality sex reporting? My hunch is they won’t, not because they’re not aware of the problems with reportage, but because they are restricted by time, budgets, overreliance on PR stories (and surveys) and editors’ daft ideas about sex. An example of just how reductionist and poor media coverage is at the start of the year comes courtesy of USA Today who’ve already set the bar massively low – surely it can’t get any worse? (I bet you it can).

Self reflection and diary keeping will become a major phenomenon
After all this misery and grouchiness here’s a more positive prediction. Sex researchers have been inviting people to keep sex diaries for years. Sex bloggers have taken this a stage further by reflecting on their relationships adventures. But this year I think we’ll see the idea of self reflection and sexual diary keeping become more of a mainstream phenomena. We might be using these for erotic entertainment, to communicate with a partner, or to identify particular problems we wish to tackle. Susie Bright has helpfully paved the way with her Sex Journal (which gives you pointers about what to write and space to share your reflections). Numerous magazine features are set to follow. You can easily join in by writing about and reflecting on your intimate life/lives online or in private. I’ll share more tips on how you might do this later in the year.

What’s definitely happening
There are some things I don’t need to predict as we already know they’re taking place. In February the Natural History museum delves into Sexual Nature with a fascinating exhibition on animal sex – easy tiger! Sex work is back on the political agenda (see here and here) and sex workers are particularly encouraged to get involved with consultation and lobbying on this issue (see here for more on how to do this). Debates are taking place around age of consent in Ireland (as is the topic of policing prostitution). In the UK the future of sex education will be debated in the early part of 2011 but we’re still uncertain what will happen.

So there you have it. Not perhaps a particularly cheery year to look forward to financially, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of interesting things happening in sex and relationships research, education and activism in 2011. And plenty of work to be getting on with! On that note join me later this week when I’ll be outlining my plans for this blog for the next 12 months. I’m changing approach and format somewhat so I’m hoping it’ll be more useful and interesting for you.

Here’s wishing you a fantastic New Year!

Every year, around about November, I get a bit over confident and start noting down what I think is going to happen in the year ahead. In January I commit myself in a blog post to saying what I predict will go on. And then at the end of every year I have to look back and see whether I was right or not. Sometimes I do well, sometimes my crystal ball’s clearly not working.

Over the years I’ve been doing this people have asked how I work out what’s on the horizon. Since I’m not psychic I base the predictions on things I can see emerging, for example ongoing research debates, patterns of media coverage, forthcoming political agenda items and so on. So most of it is informed by things that are already starting or being talked about, which may or may not develop in the next 12 months. For this reason the predictions tend to be focused around core areas where I have an interest, so if you feel I’m missing something don’t panic – why not create your own list of predictions instead?

I’ll be sharing my hunches for 2011 in early January, but before then let’s look at this year? What did I predict? You can read the full post here.

Our approach to managing STIs (in the UK at least) will change focus
Over the past year or so we’ve seen a shift towards treatment and testing rather than prevention based (safer sex/use a condom) based messaging. This year that trend did continue with PCTs, health protection organisations and the Department of Health focusing on getting tested and treatment – particularly for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. Indeed early in 2010 we saw numerous TV and radio campaigns reminding people sex (and STI testing) was ‘worth talking about’.

This approach resulted in a hike in STI detection which the media didn’t attribute to a shift in making treatment and testing more accessible, but did blame on promiscuity and feckless youth. It seems the focus on treatment/testing is set to continue, but sexual and reproductive health practitioners remain divided on whether this is appropriate without the equivalent focus on prevention messaging. So on that score the prediction we’d change focus on managing STIs was right, although rather than a dramatic shift in tackling the issue we’ve seen more of an extension of previous years approaches in 2010.

Interestingly something that did springboard contraception (in the form of condoms) into the headlines was an NHS video campaign aimed at young men. The Condom/No Condom? Campaign allows viewers to decide whether or not to use condoms, and shows what happens based on their choices. You can see the clips and work through the condom/no condom options here. As it was aimed at heterosexual young men it was designed to be somewhat fruity. Most sex educators and young people who saw it responded positively. But nobody was really looking at it until a faith based group tipped off the Daily Mail who predictably combusted and described it as pornographic. This resulted in rocketing levels of views of the condom/no condom films. Unfortunately probably not always by those the films were aimed at, but still it was more than funny that the moral outrage of the Mail probably boosted this safer sex venture more than anything else.

Divorce and separation rates will continue to rise
Relationship therapists have noted increased consultations from couples this year (both married and cohabiting) although it is not yet clear whether this is translating into separation and divorce. With the coalition in power, the Conservatives in particular seem focused on divorce as an issue and are currently looking at interventions to keep couples together. Predictably suggestions made so far have not focused on more holistic views of relationships (or relationship stressors) or the body of research on relationships or marriage that exists. It will be down to researchers working in these areas to alert politicians to what works in supporting healthy relationships (and separations) over the coming months. Not least because people clearly are struggling to manage intimate relationships and support in this area is necessary. This wasn’t strictly a prediction as it was already being talked up in 2009, but it does seem to be an area that has been a worry in 2010.

What I didn’t predict but was related to this topic was the volume of media coverage given to infidelity, particularly the intimate lives of sportsmen who seemed to provide endless tabloid fodder and speculation around their dalliances with prostitutes, good time girls and other women the media could endlessly judge.

Contraception will be big news
I said last year “Alongside a shift to focus on testing/treatment for STIs, we’ll see an additional change in the promotion of contraception”. This was true to an extent with a wider uptake of LARC (long acting reversible contraception), partly related to NICE guidance and a move in reproductive healthcare to promote LARC more widely. However, the biggest surprise that I didn’t foresee at all was contraception (specifically the pill) became massive news because the media didn’t understand core issues about interpreting public health data and prescribing hormonal contraception for reasons other than birth control. Which led to faith based groups persuading them that there was an epidemic of promiscuous 11 year olds on the pill.

Premature Ejaculation will be publicised as key problem for men
For most of the year I thought this wasn’t going to be the case, but two things happened from the summer onwards to change things. The first was that Trading Standards closed down the deplorable Advanced Medical Institute. I can’t tell you how many distressing emails I’ve had by men exploited by this company, distressed and in some cases given life threatening ‘medical’ advice. This is still an area where journalists should be investigating.

The second development came from Boots the pharmacy who’ve launched a new range of sexual enhancement products aimed at men, which include items to manage premature ejaculation (and also erectile dysfunction). Unfortunately they’ve decided to promote this range with the media message that men find it difficult to talk to a doctor which may be unhelpful. While the pharmacy can be a useful point of advice for men on psychosexual issues it may not suit all men with underlying psychological or physical conditions. In those cases BASRT or your GP is a better place to go. Those interested in the products promoted by Boots and other high street pharmacies may wish to particularly focus on claims made for the products, what research the products are based on, and effectiveness – particularly for the herbal cures for psychosexual problems. The quality of psychosexual advice offered may also be subject to evaluation for those interested in this area of public health care.

However, PE failed to be the major issue I thought it might become. So that prediction was perhaps a little misplaced.

We’ll focus more on ‘problem’ sex rather than sex positive messages
Sex positivity really wasn’t that obvious in 2010. Instead we heard endless accounts of celebrity relationship disasters (particularly the aforementioned sportsmen). We also were preoccupied with sexualisation of young people (although nobody really knew exactly what that meant). And within sex advice the focus still was around why women lacked desire, or how they could get it back. Or more worryingly judgemental and outdated views around alternative sexualities, that managed to blend both unethical judgement of case studies with incorrect information shared about BDSM.

So that prediction did come true, although I wish it hadn’t. On a positive note for many of these problem areas practitioners have become better connected via twitter and online communities and have taken direct steps to challenge poor practice or share more positive, less judgemental and more accurate information.

It’s time to think of new ways to prevent HIV
There was a shift in 2010 around talking about the ‘prevention revolution’ as UNAIDS described it. This focused less on finding new means of preventing HIV and more around thinking about ways to get people to use condoms. (Matt Greenall wrote a great post about some of the issues this raises). While there’s been a lot of conversation around prevention this year, we still need to see action, and also more innovative and inclusive approaches to tackling this area – both in research and practice. We are still seeing much public health activity in this area coming from limited, uncritical and often very top down models. Research keeps being replicated, existing evidence not used, critically appraised or applied to practice. NGOs are not always responsive to evidence in this area, and may in fact implement programmes that run counter to good practice. The usual barriers of time, training, cost and awareness also continue to hamper general education and healthcare in this area. Because this has not changed I’d say we haven’t really thought much around new ways of addressing HIV and I can’t claim this as a prediction I got right. This is a shame. We can do better.

We’ll see social networks constructed as peril-for-relationships
This definitely did happen – with the suggestion Facebook is linked to rises in syphilis, and celebrities making up and breaking up over twitter. Through social media we got to see our own romantic lives and those of others blossom or implode. Research in this area still needs to catch up to focus on both the problems and opportunities social networks offer.

Sex blogging may well change and become more cautious and (self)censored
I noted that last year (2009) was “ending with a firestorm among sex bloggers embroiled in bitter arguments and outings”. I was obliquely referring to the Alexa Di Carlo case, which was at the time causing a lot of tension among those suggesting ‘Alexa’ was not all ‘she’ seemed who were being dismissed as unfair or hysterical by others who didn’t see a problem. It sadly turned out those raising concerns were not wrong. ‘Alexa’, also known as ‘Caitlin’ was a man. Called Thomas Bohannan. A person who spent years claiming to be both a sex worker, an academic, and a sex educator – depending on which persona they were using. A person who encouraged people to consider sex work in ways other sex workers felt were coercive or exploitative. And who under the guise of an online sex educator invited young women to share intimate stories and photographs of their breasts and genitals.

The response to this still left some folk debating whether the outing of Alexa/Caitlin was ‘fair’ or arguing discourses on sex work were okay and didn’t have to be ‘real’. Or that it was precious for some to suggest sex educators held a particular position of responsibility and qualification. Or that claiming academic qualifications in sexology when you didn’t have them was no big deal. All of which are summed up by Miss Maggie Mayhem in Alexa Bingo

Several excellent bloggers tackled this awful story, and particularly noteworthy are Charlie Glickman, Monica Shores, Miss Maggie Mayhem and The Sexademic.

For many outside the sex education/sex work blogger community this case may not seem all that important, but it has caused deep distress and in some cases direct harm to those who have shared intimate information with ‘Alexa’/’Caitlin’. The response from many who saw this as more of a philosophical debate than an abusive situation has led to a lot of ill feeling, mistrust and hurt. I would have dearly loved this prediction not to have come true, but it did and we now have to find ways to move forward, document what has happened and learn from the experience. And to support each other from the daily battles many of us face online and in person from those who seek to discredit or generally disrupt the work of sex educators, activists, sex workers and other sex positive folk.

The media will be thrilled about long term love
This didn’t really come to much in the year, as the focus was far more on relationship crises and infidelity. So I can’t really claim this as something that really caught our attention within the mainstream media or popular culture.

Family planning and environmental activism will combine
I saw this as being something that would have more of a focus as during 2009 many public health (particularly reproductive health) organisations appeared to be focusing on family size as linked to food/housing resources, climate change and so on. And I thought there would be more of a debate (and even backlash) against some of the assumptions that seemed to be underpinning these campaigns. However this didn’t really happen on a wide scale, although @naomimc did pick up on some of the related issues about the role of women in these debates – which are still worth having.

And sex education? Well, I predict that I just don’t know what will happen
It’s probably cheating to predict you can’t tell what’s going to happen, but in this case I really had no clue at the start of the year, and during the year things have shifted considerably. Firstly Labour backtracked on making sex ed compulsory after the Conservatives put pressure on them during voting on the Children and Families Bill. Then NICE opened up a public consultation on sex education curriculum. This coincided with the election which labour lost, meaning we were looking at going back to the drawing board with sex ed.

Labour MP Chris Bryant brought the topic back to the political agenda in September and it is tabled to be debated in early 2011. In October the Sex Education Forum/NCB produced guidance for young people to enable them to campaign for better quality sex education. On several occasions the media returned to the idea that sex education was ‘difficult’ or ‘embarrassing’ for teachers (see here and here), but didn’t account for the wider barriers to providing quality sex and relationships information – at home or in school.

We have also heard in the government White Paper on Education (available here) their view on sex education is:

Children can benefit enormously from high-quality Personal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) education. Good PSHE supports individual young people to make safe and informed choices. It can help tackle public health issues such as substance misuse and support young people with the financial decisions the must make. We will conduct an internal review to determine how we can support schools to improve the quality of all PSHE teaching, including giving teachers the flexibility to use their judgement about how best to deliver PSHE education.

However, it remains unclear what is going to happen. Certainly it seems unlikely sex education will be compulsory (not that this was automatically a solution to tackling sex ed anyway). The statements made in the White Paper suggest we may well see sex ed continuing as is, delivered excellently in some areas and not in others.

Alongside this debate we also saw the predictable meme of ‘parents being excluded’ being rehearsed consistently in the media (although there seems no real evidence of this and it’s not like parents are being prevented to talk about sex/relationships should they wish). We also saw a lot of media fuss over the age of consent and anxieties over sexualisation which tapped into the sex ed debate. When it comes to sex education watch this space. Advocates of sex ed will continue to campaign for quality sex ed in the classroom and the home, while opponents will continue to oppose sex ed in schools – often with extreme and unhelpful messaging. It’s going to be more of the same in 2011.

I hope you had a good time in 2010 and wishing you a very Happy New Year! In particular I appreciate your support reading this blog, giving me feedback on how to improve it (via email, twitter or in person). Join me early in 2011 and I’ll have another punt at what I think is going to be big news in sex/relationships.

First off, a very Happy New Year to you! Welcome to my first entry for 2010, which regular readers will know is traditionally set aside for predicting what could happen to sex and relationships in the next 12 months. If you want to see what I thought would happen last year (and how accurate I was) then click here.

So, what can we expect for 2010?

Our approach to managing STIs (in the UK at least) will change focus
In the past our approach to STIs has been to raise awareness of what they are, how you get them, and focus in particular on prevention based messages – with the emphasis on condom use. 2010 won’t see that approach abandoned, but it will see a shift in how we address STIs. More efforts will be made to get people (particularly the under 25s) tested for STIs (particularly Chlamydia and Gonorrhea). This is due to testing for many STIs being quicker to administer and run than in the past (many are now simply pee-in-a-pot based) and new ideas coming from research into modernising health services. But it’s also due to ongoing problems with blocks in accessing sexual health services (and getting condoms); condom messaging being delivered sporadically in public health campaigns; and many young people not using condoms (despite being told about them). This shift in how we approach STIs will mean we get better at testing, diagnosing and treating, but it’s unclear whether this will impact negatively on prevention-based (and condom focused) messaging.

Divorce and separation rates will continue to rise
This isn’t really a prediction as we already know it is happening – blamed in part on the recession. But it seems unlikely the current trend in relationship difficulties many couples are experiencing will reduce in the coming year.

Contraception will be big news
Alongside a shift to focus on testing/treatment for STIs, we’ll see an additional change in the promotion of contraception. Already there are more public health messages around contraception choices than we’ve seen in decades. With practitioners also being encouraged to promote contraception use (and Long Acting Reversible Contraception – LARC) in particular. Although condoms will be included within this, the focus is going to be on a wider range of contraception options related to pregnancy prevention. This is in response to high teenage pregnancy rates – but also high termination rates for older women. Undoubtedly better access to and awareness of contraception is positive, but we will need to review as the year goes on what impact a focus on contraception generally rather than emphasising condoms specifically will have.

Premature Ejaculation will be publicised as key problem for men
We’ve already been hearing about this with aggressive sales techniques aimed at making men feel anxious and by Premature Ejaculation (PE) products and new drugs in the pipeline for PE. But in 2010 medicalising men’s sexual problems will be big news. You can expect to hear via the media about high prevalence levels of PE, the trauma it causes, and new products aimed to fix the problem. Press coverage will be largely uncritical, with little practical advice aimed at men with concerns about their sexual functioning. Clearly nobody’s denying PE exists or downplay the distress it can cause. But in the next twelve months will see the problem overhyped and a lack of clear information for men on how to deal with the problem. Myself and others will be working hard to counter this and provide frank advice about PE and what to do if it affects you.

We’ll focus more on ‘problem’ sex rather than sex positive messages
I’d love to look back in twelve months time and see a year full of positive, accurate and celebratory messages about sex and relationships. But I suspect this won’t happen (not that many folk, including me, won’t give it a try). Given our current preoccupation with celebrity cases of infidelity, domestic violence, custody battles and bitter divorces these stories are likely to keep rolling and provide platforms for ‘relationship experts’ to promote outdated, untested and incorrect ideas.

It’s time to think of new ways to prevent HIV
At the close of 2009 the biggest trial investigating microbicide gel as a means to prevent the transmission of HIV concluded the gel was ineffective. This is depressing news as microbicides had looked promising in the fight against HIV. Although it was correct to trial microbicides to see if they were effective, and be open about their lack of promise. In 2010 (and for as long as it takes) researchers will be working hard to investigate new ways to protect people from HIV. I’ll be reporting on some of these initiatives in the coming twelve months.

We’ll see social networks constructed as peril-for-relationships
Social networks have been hailed as a means of getting old flames together and improving people’s social lives, but we’ve also been hearing about social networks as the destroyer of relationships. You can expect to hear a lot more on this in 2010 – with case studies, self help books, and a range of media features telling us about the problem (which will be exaggerated, linked to ‘sex addiction’, but unlikely to give actionable support for those affected).

Sex blogging may well change and become more cautious and (self)censored
This might be a storm in a teacup, but 2009 is ending with a firestorm among sex bloggers embroiled in bitter arguments and outings. I’ll be updating on this issue in early January, but the fallout may well mean that bloggers don’t feel so safe to write openly, will avoid controversial topics, and past allegiances may be broken. [Interestingly if you go back to 2007 Cory Silverberg and others were writing about what the future held for sex blogs and what we ought to expect from good sex blogging. Many of the issues raised there still haven’t been addressed and part of the current fallout across the blogosphere is based around the ethics, approach and content of sex blogs – and the actions of sex bloggers]

The media will be thrilled about long term love
Whether you’re married or living together, 2010 is likely to see the long term relationship regain new status. Whether this is down to a backlash against the uncertainties of the recession, political emphasis on ‘the family’, or simply cashing in on a topic that’s not really been explored much by the self help market, we can expect to see an abundance of guides, experts and case studies emphasising the benefits of long term love. Movies and novels will also focus on this issue. Celebrating positive long term relationships is great. But be on the look out for advice that is more about instructing us on how our lives should look, or is a cover for promoting homophobic or prejudiced views of relationships by maintaining the only acceptable (and successful) relationships are those that are long term, monogamous, heterosexual ones. It may be the seemingly positive endorsement of long term relationships is a stick to beat anyone who is single, separated, divorced, unhappy with their partner, or not in a monagmous or heterosexual relationship.

Family planning and environmental activism will combine
Strange bedfellows – possibly, but in 2010 you can expect to see reproductive health charities adopting environmental messages to advocating contraception use as a means to target climate change. My point is not to debate climate change here, but to draw attention to potential problems in promoting a message that may be well meaning but not always clearly explained. It’s questionable how helpful it will be to tell people in the developing world (whose contribution to climate change is small) that they should restrict family size to protect the environment. (There are plenty of good reasons to encourage family planning – not least to increase maternal and infant health). I’m not sure how meaningful such messages would be to healthcare providers, educators or the public. And it’s unclear how such messaging may fit within services that already often struggle in terms of access, use and acceptability. Critics may argue why instead we don’t require those in the West to reduce their far larger consumption levels? Reproductive health is already a controversial topic among many countries, but combining it with environmental messages could embroil it within further controversy that might well hinder rather than help initiatives.

And sex education? Well, I predict that I just don’t know what will happen
After lengthy campaigns and petitioning in 2009 we learnt the government will make sex education statutory – with plans to bring this in during late 2010 or 2011. We still need to focus on what will be taught and empower teachers to deliver such messages effectively. We have no guarantees this will happen if labour stay in power, but if they do not get re-elected it is possible our approach to sex education will remain the same (or worsen). With many Primary Care Trusts already gearing up for a labour defeat and teachers in schools uncertain about what training they need, we will have to wait and see what happens next. No doubt there are plenty of practitioners who’ll continue to work to improve our school based sex education regardless of the election result, but the coming year is a worrying one for the future of quality sex education in the UK.

So, those are my hunches. What do you think’s going to happen? And while you’re thinking about that, why not make some sex positive resolutions for the next twelve months – or even the next decade?

You can read my full list of predictions for 2009 here.

These included…

We’ll see a definite shift to sexual health self management
This did happen within some PCTs across the UK and innovative projects internationally – it included shifting access to sexual health services (for example making more facilities available within pharmacies or youth centres), simplifying tests for STIs, and opening up waiting times and advertising contraception and GU (genitor urinary) clinics. However, there was not the major shift I’d expected – and this was partly due to funding and improving services, and partly because the only media coverage on such ventures was predominantly negative – sadly something I did foresee (see here and here for example). Modernising our sexual and reproductive health services is an ongoing activity so this will continue, but we can probably expect to see continued resistance from the media and some faith based organisations.

Pornography addiction will replace sex addiction (although we’ll still be flapping about sex addiction too)
While there were some discussions around ‘porn addiction’ we actually shifted back to the all encompassing ‘sex addiction’ (where porn use was included within the diagnosis). And this was particularly illustrated at the close of the year when Tiger Woods was diagnosed by media (and self-publicising experts) as a ‘sex addict’.

There will be a new focus on family relationships
Given the shocking stories of child abuse within the UK and internationally I had expected to see a lot of discussions around parenting and family. Disappointingly opportunities to help families and offer more support, resources and education failed to materialise, although politicians all focused on ‘family values’ and the importance of marriage to society. With elections in 2010 we can expect to see a lot more chat about ‘family’ but very little in terms of offering genuine support to those with parenting, relationship, economic or housing problems.

Reproductive rights will be overlooked in conflict zones
This was always sadly going to be a prediction that came true. Many things are lost within conflict zones, but access to reproductive and maternity services are undoubtedly one of them. We have no idea how many cases of adult and child sexual abuse and mother and infant mortality have occurred in conflict zones over the past year. All we do know is this is an ongoing problem and one that’s often overlooked by the media and those working in conflict situations. Efforts are ongoing to include reproductive health within a positive context, although this is proving difficult to establish. It’s the one resolution I’d really like to have got wrong.

Prostitution and pornography will remain high on the political agenda
Sadly this was a prediction that came true although many academics, healthcare professionals and sex workers all worked hard to try and challenge. At the start of 2009 we heard the ‘extreme porn’ bill had been passed and in the Autumn witnessed a festival of bad science as the bill was heard in the House of Lords. There was some excellent news coverage by Nick Davies for The Guardian indicating the flaws in the government’s misuse/misinterpretation of trafficking statistics. This was not enough to prevent the government pushing forward legal changes they based on opinion, not evidence. Shocking that at the close of the decade we’re still witnessing a government who systematically refuse to meet with or listen to academics studying prostitution.

Sex drugs for women will be a major focus
All seemed quiet on this story for most of the year and I began to suspect nothing was going to happen – then at the close of the year Flibanserin was launched to the media following a poster presentation at a European conference. Cue much excitement about the new desire drugs for women. Although of course there were plenty of questions to ask about the trials, the drug and whether it will end up as a standard treatment. Find out more here and here.

Bisexuals will be in the news
At the end of 2008 there seemed to be a real interest within the media around focusing on ‘bi’ issues – particularly bi girls. However, many of the planned programmes ‘investigating’ this issue were not made (or at least weren’t aired) and it seems that being bi was not the media splash I anticipated.

The cult of the ‘sex expert’ will be replaced by the ‘sex educator’
A number of television programmes in the UK and other countries promised to provide educational messages for the public. In the UK they got it partly right (although failed to completely listen to consultants employed on programmes – including me). Behind the scenes many sex educators and advisors have worked hard this year to up their game, network, increase their online presence through websites and blogs, and have attempted to work more closely with the media or through training of healthcare/teaching staff to improve sex education messages.

That’s not to say that ‘sexperts’ are still not a problem, but encouragingly it does seem that internationally those who are working responsibly and from an evidence based position are doing what they can to challenge those who only draw on their own opinions and preferences. I’ve also been encouraged to see a real effort from ‘sex positive’ educators to think about what they’re doing and evaluate their approaches – which can only go to inform the work of others.

The myth of the year will be – being ‘healthy’ = having lots of sex
Although this view did underpin a fair few dodgy sex stories and self help books, in general there wasn’t the major focus on ‘healthy’ sex being linked to quantity rather than quality. So I wasn’t quite right in that prediction. Of course ‘healthy’ sex was misleadingly linked to things like superfoods, loads of exercise, brain activity and hormones (not understood by journalists but mentioned just the same).

Whether or not people really are having more cosmetic surgery, we’ll be told that’s the case
This was an issue for 2009, although it didn’t get quite the media coverage I was expecting. Nevertheless the focus on genital surgery as a means to improve one’s sex life was something that rumbled away in private healthcare across the world. Interestingly during the year we did see research suggesting there was no clinical evidence that genital surgery did improve sexual functioning – or indeed was always successful. As an antidote we saw activist events celebrating the vulva and renaming female genitals in numerous sex positive events that look set to grow over the coming years.

The recession will impact upon our relationships
During 2009 I was approached several times by journalists writing about the recession and sex – specifically on how sex toy stores were showing huge profits despite the economic downturn elsewhere. Although this may technically make sense (after all in a recession why not cheer yourself up with a low-cost vibrator?), worryingly no journalist I spoke to had verified this information, requested the financial details from the company, or considered they may be providing advertising for sex toy manufacturers keen to survive the recession. So the recession has impacted on poor media coverage.

But has it influenced other areas of our lives? Well, relationship therapists in the UK and other Western countries are noting more clients presenting – with problems linked to unemployment or the threat of redundancy. That may not be necessarily negative as seeking help for relationships does not mean they are automatically doomed. That said, there are reports of increased domestic violence coming in from charities and relationship therapists. We will have to wait to hear more from our statistics on violence and also around divorce (the latter of which may not show up immediately). However it sadly does appear the recession is having a negative impact on relationships – not least on those who are in the lowest income group (in the UK and internationally). Problems with housing, health and homelessness are undoubtedly rising.

We are, however, seeing an increase in the birth rate across the UK – so it seems we’re busy doing something! Look to see that trend continuing in 2010 – along with increasing strains on overstretched maternity services. If you want to do a good deed in the coming year, campaign for better training, support and funding for midwives.

So that’s what I came up with last year. Some of it was right, some of it wasn’t quite spot on. And some of it I wished hadn’t happened. Join me at the start of January when I’ll be looking ahead with more sex predictions for 2010.

What made me start blogging?
Five years ago I sat down on a dark November evening and wrote my very first blog entry. It was a bit ranty. I’d been misquoted by a journalist and was anxious it would get me into hot water (again).

I didn’t have a game plan when I started blogging. My partner (who’s way more tech savvy than I am) thought it might be a good way of sharing ideas I was struggling to convey via the mainstream media (I was writing several advice columns in magazines at the time, as well as hosting a regular radio phone in for BBC Five Live).

I approached the blog as a form of therapy. I wanted to work with the media but was getting a lot of stick for it professionally (I’m an academic as well as a sex educator). Having a place to blog would allow me to correct any errors in reporting and disclose bad journalism. I even hoped it it might even let me bring evidence into sex/relationships reporting – and show it was possible to do so without things becoming worthy or dull.

One thing I felt sure of early on was this blog was something I enjoyed writing, but I wanted to be useful, and most importantly to deliver things about sex, relationships, science and journalism that readers wanted to know about. Which is why the blog has always been shaped by things you’ve asked for.

Readers make this blog (or “why don’t you have comments?”)
Last summer I asked regular readers to give me feedback on this blog and got some very helpful responses. It’s taken me a while to implement some of these, but I have now upgraded the blog to include the things you asked for – photos and images to liven things up, a better blogroll, summaries at the start of most entries so you can decide if you wish to read on. And categories. Something I didn’ think about five years ago and really wish I had. I’m now in the process of going back through all the 800+ posts and adding categories to them, which I hope will make this blog a lot more useful to you.

The one thing this blog doesn’t have is comments. I did start off having them, but encountered several problems. As I was offering advice within columns and websites elsewhere I hadn’t planned to also answer problems on this blog. However, not all readers understood this so I frequently found requests for advice on anything from infidelity to penis size included in discussions about blogs relating to research design or journalism ethics. This sometimes led to some readers mocking those asking for advice, which of course is completely unacceptable for me as an educator.

Moreover, I’ve always blogged openly – never behind a pseudonym. I work within the community on sex/relationships projects and educational activities (in the UK and internationally). This meant I was very accessible, and felt vulnerable when those whose comments were deleted or not posted, made very personal threats.

I found moderating the comments was time consuming and took me away from other educational activities which I felt were more worthwhile. So I decided to remove the comments option. When I’ve asked readers if they want them back the general response is ‘no’. That’s mostly from people who feel the blog’s a safe space to get information which they can use as they wish elsewhere.

Of course I strongly welcome respectful email feedback and am always happy to add information or correct errors within the blog. You’re always welcome to start discussions on other forums or your own blog about issues raised here. For now I’ve no plans to reinstate comments, but since I’m occasionally asked why I don’t have them I thought this was a good a time as any to clarify the issue.

Achievements so far
Having read back to 2004 I’m pretty pleased with this little blog. It’s nice to see it’s grown into a resource that people trust and enjoy reading.

The things I’m most proud to have written are activist blogs that highlight medicalisation, exploitation and abuse. These include the debates around female sexual dysfunction, questioning high street stores stocking ‘herbal’ erectile dysfunction drugs (not approved by the FDA), exposing the Advanced Medical Institute’s aggressive sales technique for men affected by premature ejaculation, or highlighting misleading media coverage of the availability of Viagra on the high street.

I initially planned to use the blog to set right bad sex coverage in the media (or occasions where I’d been misquoted). This has been a theme within the blog although I think it’s become more focused over time (although not necessarily less ranty than my very first post). I can’t say whether it’s made much difference to journalists, and I hope it’s not put people off working with the media. I’ve found it helpful to describe poor practice – not least because the general trend for ‘experts’ working with the media is to act grateful for any exposure, not publicly discuss poor experiences or document bad practice. Gems for me include an expose of GMTV sending a cab to my home at 6am on the off chance I might wake up and come to their studio. Or how a TV show wanted to discuss female sexual confidence without mentioning genitals or masturbation. Or some rather nasty experiences with snotty TV producers just after I’d had a baby. Not to mention the hilarious case of the science journalist who really took a dislike to me (and colleagues). Oh, and let’s not forget the journalist who wanted me to recommend them an ‘unethical psychologist’ .

Of course, the past five years have not been spent simply slagging off journalists. No. Sometimes I’ve also turned my gaze to bad science too. Where it’s been depressing to report on a carnival of studies which seem to set us back sexually. Studies complaining women orgasm too easily, or there’s a ‘clitorocentric conspiracy’ against the vagina, how sex with a partner is 400% better than any other kind of sex you might have, and you can tell whether a woman has vaginal orgasms by her walk.

Let’s not forget my other bugbears. The fake formula and shonky surveys and my goodness this blog’s a treasure chest for those. And if I’m not being irritated by that, then there’s always the problem of psychologists talking about celebrities, or the general ethical issues raised by Big Brother for me to moan about.

Of course, it’s not all been bad news. Anyone would think this blog is only about gripes and grumbles. I’ve always wanted to showcase a variety of sexual experiences within this blog and not just think about sex just for a Western audience. I’ll continue to discuss issues relating to sex and seniors; teenagers; disability; transsexuality; lesbian, gay and bi issues; open relationships; BDSM; sexual health; contraception; prostitution; pornography; reproductive health; pleasure; desire; asexuality; dating; psychosexual problems; showcasing great sex pioneers; talking about safer sex; and as many other topics as I can find for you to read about.

Where to next?
Unlike five years ago, I’m now thinking strategically about this blog – who it’s for, what it does, and seeking to find ways to assess any impact it may have. I’ve noticed over the years it sometimes deviates into areas that interest me, but may not appeal to all readers. So my aim is to ensure the focus of the blog remains around the core things you’re most interested in when you visit – sex, science, and media.

I’m currently involved in overhauling the site so in the new year I hope to have far more open access materials available for you – relationships and sex guides, information about sexual and reproductive health, more advice and links to sources of help, along with practical information for journalists, healthcare professionals, parents, teens and teachers.

I’ve been asked by many readers for more information about how to become an agony aunt/media sex educator, so I’ll be blogging about this – as well as how to write a sex blog – in the not too distant future.

I’ll also be making use of twitter soon, as sometimes I blog about issues people need to hear about fast (particularly developments in science/health), so hopefully that will make messages more accessible. I’ll let you know once I’ve sorted it.

Obviously I’d like to hear what you’d like to see. How would you like this blog to develop over the next year (or five!). Are there any particular things you’d like to see more/less of? Topics you want covered? People you’d like me to interview for the ‘quickies’ section of the blog? Campaigns you want covered? Let me know what your vision is for this blog.

So, happy fifth birthday blog. Big birthday kisses to those of you who’ve been with me from the beginning. For those of you who’ve only recently found this blog I hope you like it enough to stick around for the next half decade. I notice one of my favourite other blogs Mind Hacks has also celebrated it’s fifth birthday too, so congratulations to them.

Time to blow out the candles and make a wish. Of course, I can’t tell you what it is. You’ll have to come back in five years to find out if it’s come true.

Each year after I’ve stuffed myself full of Christmas leftovers I settle down and have a think about the things I think we can expect in the coming year in relation to sex and relationships. You can read my summary of sex predictions for 2008 here.

Here’s what I think will happen in 2009.

We’ll see a definite shift to sexual health self management
Over the past few years there have been a number of studies and evaluations looking at how sexual and reproductive health services can be improved. These have indicated that people are far better able than expected to manage their own sexual health. Improvements in rapid testing for Chlamydia and HIV, as well as changes to testing to ‘pee in a pot’ for many common STIs, plus alterations in the role of pharmacists mean that STI testing and contraception provision no longer only have to be delivered within specialist settings.

So in 2009 we can expect to see a shift to contraception being prescribed within community pharmacy settings alongside GP and family planning clinics. Pee in a pot STI testing will be available in GP surgeries, pharmacies, clubs and pubs as well as GU services, while initiatives for self-referral to termination services will make things quicker for those seeking abortions.

The reason for this shift is to ensure a wider spread of services offering contraception and STI testing and treatment. It’s a means of reducing waiting times and pressure within traditional contraception/GU services, and also encouraging the public to have greater ownership of their own sexual health. Alongside this we can also expect a shift in public health promotion campaigns towards an emphasis on Chlamydia testing as well as preventing STIs via condom use.

These changes may seem small, but are actually set to transform how we manage sexual and reproductive health services. As a result you can expect critics to oppose them fairly vigorously and argue they will lead to greater promiscuity and unwanted pregnancy. This runs counter to the scientific evidence around what works for sexual and reproductive healthcare, but nevertheless I anticipate a bumpy journey as these new initiatives are rolled out.

Pornography addiction will replace sex addiction (although we’ll still be flapping about sex addiction too)
Sex addiction has been a media favourite for many years, not least last year with several celebrities arguing they’d been ‘diagnosed’ with the condition. In 2009 the focus will become more specific with pornography being seen as a primary factor in addiction. This won’t be based on scientific evidence, but will be promoted by those without appropriate therapeutic qualifications, many of whom have particular anti sex agendas. It will make it difficult to have critical discussions about porn, and may well mislead many couples who have relationship difficulties but not a pornography addiction. I’ll continue to expose quackery around this issue, while sharing any research evidence about the varied impact of pornography on our lives.

There will be a new focus on family relationships
Following on from some shocking child abuse cases in the UK and evidence from scientific research it is clear the level of abuse of children is far higher than previously accepted within the UK. Moreover research has shown emotional abuse, neglect and general disinterest plus poor parenting skills are causing countless psychological problems to young people. This in turn will affect their abilities to have positive relationships as adults, their capacity to be good parents, and makes them prey to abuse and coercion while young.

As a result there will be more initiatives to improve social care, but in particular there needs to be a focus around improving people’s interpersonal relationships and parenting skills. Many charities, educators and healthcare providers are now poised to take action in 2009 to ensure families are better supported. We can expect to see a greater focus on the needs of children and young people – particularly highlighting the risk to them from violence, coercion and emotional neglect.

Reproductive rights will be overlooked in conflict zones
Sadly with the number of conflict zones around the world growing rates of rape, child abuse, and maternal and infant mortality are rising rapidly. Meanwhile restricted reproductive health services and problems in access to basic items such as sanitary towels are compounding problems of reproductive and sexual wellbeing. We tend to forget the impact of conflict on reproductive, sexual and maternal health but they will continue to be a major problem across the world in 2009. I’ll be running a series of blogs in 2009 to highlight these problems and provide information on services and resources for any of you who live or work in areas affected by conflict.

Prostitution and pornography will remain high on the political agenda
As with 2008, continuing political debates over the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill and prostitution policy will keep sex work on the agenda. There are a number of initiatives planned to try and persuade politicians towards a more evidence based approach and away from the acceptance of rhetoric many have been swayed by. You can expect debates on porn and prostitution to continue to be unpleasant and emotive, and it seems likely that we will see greater restrictions recommended.

Sex drugs for women will be a major focus
Last year I predicted female sexual dysfunction would come back into the news. That didn’t happen in the public domain, but did continue behind the scenes with drug companies working on products for female sexual dysfunction (particularly Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder) trying to get healthcare practitioners and therapists poised to promote their forthcoming products. Events to promote sex drugs for women are due to increase this year and you can expect to see pharmaceutical companies spending a lot of time and money persuading practitioners to see HSDD as a problem and their products as a solution. The media will also be targeted so watch the women’s press and newspaper health pages for tales of widespread female sexual dysfunction and the promise of a ‘cure’.

Bisexuals will be in the news
There will be a number of TV programmes about ‘being bi’, plus new research discussing how bisexuality is conceptualised and measured. Within this you can expect some dodgy reports where ‘bisexuality’ is another name for birds who have threesomes or women who’ve opted for lady love because they’re so fed up with men. The male bisexual will still remain more of a taboo area while bi women will continue to titillate.

The cult of the ‘sex expert’ will be replaced by the ‘sex educator’
TV programmes will shift gear and move away from the current lifestyle format of aspirational sex led by ‘sexperts’ towards programmes purporting to be ‘educational’. The amount of education and accuracy will vary, and most will eschew evidence based information for outdated or inaccurate messages that fit the ‘televisual’ brief. The result will be a mixed bag of programming with some useful and contemporary information provided amidst a dominant message of gimmicks, Cosmo-esque sex tips and sensational mis-reporting of sexual behaviour.

The myth of the year will be – being ‘healthy’ = having lots of sex
Over the coming months there will be a focus within the media (and from some charity groups) suggesting more sex leads to better health. Within these accounts you can expect a sprinkling of pretty bad science – misunderstanding the role of hormones, inaccurate descriptions of physiological functioning, advocating dodgy diets, and confusing the role of health, sex and exercise. Join me in the New Year when I’ll be outlining some of the key errors in this kind of reporting, along with tips and pointers about your physical and mental health as well as your sex life.

Whether or not people really are having more cosmetic surgery, we’ll be told that’s the case
As the credit crunch bites you can expect a large scale effort from cosmetic surgery companies telling us that more-people-than-ever-before-are-having-cosmetic-surgery. In particular there will be an emphasis on female surgery, but male enhancement will also be promoted. It will be difficult to assess whether folk really will be seeking more surgery, or whether the news that this is happening will create demand. Either way the realities of such surgery, and the effectiveness of interventions (particularly genital cosmetic procedures) will be underplayed.

Keep an eye out for this story as it’s really going to be a case of free advertising for cosmetic companies – who will be the journalists to uncritically cover this issue? [If you are a journalist who wants to take a more investigative approach please drop me a line as I'm happy to provide you with some of the latest clinical evidence on this topic].

The recession will impact upon our relationships
Towards the latter end of 2008 we started seeing a fair amount of dubious media coverage about sex and the credit crunch. These were largely hypothetical and not really based on any observed trends. However, we are undoubtedly in the grips of a global recession now and as a result we can expect to see people under pressure with financial hardship, housing problems and job losses taking their toll. This will sadly lead to increased separation and divorce rates, substance and alcohol abuse, violence within relationships, and extra marital activity.

More people will therefore be seeking relationship therapy, but we ought to anticipate problems. Hopefully sex educators, practitioners and journalists will do their best to offer information on how to survive relationships during this difficult time. On a positive note usually in recession we also see an increase in birth rate, so it may be by this time next year a few more of you will be experiencing the patter of tiny feet. If that’s not something you want to happen make it your new year’s resolution to sort out your contraception!

Happy New Year!
I hope 2009 is a good year for you – one that brings you good health, happiness and success. I’ll continue to blog with updates on sex research, taking down poor sex science, and delivering brickbats and bouquets for media sex coverage. New for 2009 will be a wider range of advice, reviews, tips and resources for you on sex and relationships, along with interviews with some sex pioneers whose work you’ll love hearing about.

As ever this blog is there for you to get good sex information, so if there’s anything you want covered please let me know – drop me an email at info@drpetra.co.uk.