Sex, Dating, Relationships and Everything in Between book. [Photo Credit: Supplied]

A new book titled Sex, Dating, Relationships and Everything in Between has been compiled and released to help young people navigate relationships and understand healthy boundaries.

The book includes contributions from Fijian youth, youth leaders and youth pastors.

Australian Pastor Letitia Shelton, founder of City Women and City Free from Porn, led the project.

Shelton has a long connection to Fiji, having lived in Nausori and attended Adi Cakobau School.

[Photo Credit: Supplied]

She has also run a charity for 25 years in Australia, helping abused women and girls.

“I’ll be honest, in some of our churches and even families, that’s still a taboo, you know, there’s always this withdrawal when it comes to talking about cases of abuse, bad touches, good touches, and you know, in terms of dating and relationships, I didn’t even get the kind of, I had to read a lot of books and educate myself.”

Shelton said the book was created because many young people grow up in abusive homes and have never seen what a healthy relationship looks like.

Topics covered include teenage pregnancy, consent, rape, abuse, pornography and healing from trauma.

[Photo Credit: Supplied]

Every chapter includes stories from local Fijians and is supported by podcasts sharing real-life experiences.

A chapter by Dr Seriana Wood of the International School guides young people on what to do if they face an unexpected pregnancy.

Other chapters explain the impact of pornography on the brain and relationships, clarify what constitutes rape and offer guidance on recovering from abuse.

Shelton emphasises that the book is practical, accessible and aims to start conversations that are often considered taboo.

Shelton personally funded the project by cycling 6,000 kilometers across the United States, raising $58,000 to make the book freely available.

So far, 15,000 copies have been printed and Shelton and her team are reaching out to schools, churches and youth organizations to deliver the books and conduct educational sessions.

“When you think about the churches, they prepare young people spiritually, they do a lot of Bible study, our schools prepare them educationally, but you know, this is another big area of their life relationships and we’re failing because of the silence. It’s the taboo and the porn industry is educating our young people, and that’s why we have so much rape because it’s fueling so much of this.”

Shelton reiterated that parents, churches and schools need to actively prepare young people for relationships.

She stresses that silence around these topics leaves youth vulnerable to misinformation from pornography, social media and movies.

Parents have a responsibility to speak openly, address abuse and support children through their challenges.

The book is described as a first-of-its-kind resource in Fiji, aiming to give young people knowledge, break taboos and promote safe, healthy relationships.

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