The Care Quality Commission finds that people are safer when they are empowered to speak openly about sexuality & unwanted sexual behaviour.

The organization is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Earlier this month they released a comprehensive report on sexual safety along with recommendations for care provider organizations. The report is based on a comprehensive review of all sexual incidents reported to them throughout England across a 3 month period in late 2018.

Their number one key finding is that people receiving services are better protected when they are empowered to speak out about unwanted sexual behaviour and can speak openly about their sexuality.

Their number one key recommendation to care providers is that a culture must be developed where people and staff feel empowered to talk about sexuality and raise concerns around safety.

They also voiced particular concern about incident reports they received which described staff preventing people from taking part in consensual sexual activities in appropriate, private places like their homes.

Though the report is UK-based, there are many lessons for us here in Canada. You can read and / or download the full report here:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20200225_sexual_safety_sexuality.pdf