Editorial

Sexually transgressive behaviors (STB) among young people are not a rare or

marginal phenomenon. Sexually motivated behaviors that cross the boundaries of

appropriateness, ranging from taking someone´s picture without permission and

posting it online, making inadequate comments, and touching or kissing without

consent to sexually assaulting others are just some examples of STB. STB has long

reached the middle of our society, reflecting insecurities, causing speechlessness,

and making us realise that change needs to happen. Prevailing gender norms and

our socialization upon these shape the way we live together from an early age: Boys

expected to be “strong”, hide their emotions, and be “in charge”, girls learning to be

agreeable, “nice”, and to step back for others to get their way, and LGBTQ+ youths

still facing marginalisation and hate. They all carry a burden that is rarely spoken but

always felt.

This is why it is so important to name and question these patterns -as early as

possible. Prevention efforts are not about just imparting knowledge; they must create

spaces in which young people can talk about boundaries, mutual respect, and

diversity. Prevention is way more than just avoiding assaults; it is about promoting a

new way of living together that not just tolerates gender diversity but celebrates it.

We, the makers of the PreWorks intervention, a prevention programme funded by the

European Community project “Erasmus plus”, have realised that the task is too big

for lone fighters. As people working with youths in NGOs, state organisations, and

the academic context across Europe (Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Finland,

and Greece), we decided to join forces, pool our perspectives, learn from each other,

copy from each other what works well, and develop an intervention that will hopefully

prove to be helpful and become a sustainable means to be used in non-formal (and

formal) education settings.

Sexual self-determination is a non-negotiable right, independent of gender, sexual

orientation, or origin. With our project PreWorks, we strive to give young people the

tools that are necessary for respectful, self-determined interactions. This is the only

way to build up trust in society and create the conditions, in which all genders can

blossom.

Prof. Georgios Paslakis

Project manager PreWorks