What does safer sex even mean?

What does safer sex even mean?

Thinking of having sex? Whenever anyone has sex there are a few things they need to remember to protect both themselves and their sexual partner. A couple of these things you might already know about, but, just in case, here’s a quick low down on what safer sex means and why it’s important.

Safer sex mostly revolves around four things;  consent from both partners, protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), protection against risk of unplanned pregnancy and keeping your mind and body healthy and happy. Ways that you can practice safer sex include:

• Using contraception (hormonal, barrier or timing method… we’ll explain these later!)
• Regular testing for STI’s
• General choices around lifestyle decisions like taking care of your health, having healthy relationships and regularly communicating with your sexual partner about what you want, enjoy and need.

What is contraception?

Contraception is basically a way of preventing pregnancy. There are 3 different types of contraception, some of the methods you may already have heard about and some that are less popular. These 3 are:

Hormonal

(including things like the pill, contraceptive implants, injectable contraception and the vaginal ring)

These methods use sex hormones to change fertility by blocking sperm, stopping the release of the egg and changing the lining of the womb.

The upside – Hormonal contraceptives are very effective at preventing pregnancy. The pill, for example, is 99% effective if used correctly.

The downside- Hormonal contraceptives do not protect from STI’s and can occasionally have some negative side effects. All of these treatments have a cost involved and are dependant on having a doctor prescribe them.

Barrier

(including condoms, diaphragm, intra-uterine device)

These methods rely on blocking access of sperm to the egg or the egg to the lining of the womb or both.

The upside- There are usually less side effects than hormonal methods. The condom also reduces the risk of STI’s.

The downside – They are not as effective as hormonal treatments. The diaphragm and IUD don’t protect against STI’s.Some of these treatments have a cost involved and are dependant on having a doctors prescribe them.

Timing methods

(including the ovulation and sympto-thermal [checking your temperature] methods)

These methods depend on choosing to have sex at those times of the month when the woman is not fertile.

The upside- These methods are natural so don’t involve any medical intervention.

The downside- They are a lot more complicated, time consuming and difficult to get right. They also do not protect against STI’s.

STI Testing and Treating

Ok, so you think you may have an STI? Don’t panic! Pretty much every sexually transmitted infection can be addressed by a quick visit to your doctor or local sexual health clinic. The only way you can know for sure if you have a STI is to get screened, so if you are sexually active it’s worthwhile getting tested once every year as a habit. It’s also important that your sexual partner is tested as that will help ensure you’re both on the same page when it comes to being STI free.

There are lots of different places to get tested including your local doctor, sexual health clinic, medical centre, or gynaecologist. For your health, and the health of your sexual partner(s), STI tests are super important and one of the top 3 keys to safer sex.

For more info on where to get help, take a look at our fact sheet on who can help you, particularly info about community health centres and school nurses.

General choices around lifestyle

What else can you do to help prevent STI’s and practice safer sex? Stay healthy. When we’re healthy our immune systems are better able to deal with any infections that come our way. Things like getting enough sleep, eating good food, and managing stress are all good ways of keeping our bodies in their best shape.

Another important thing to think about is to try and avoid alcohol or recreational drugs if you’re planning on having sex. When people are drunk or high they tend to make different choices than they would under usual circumstances. Not only is that a big issue when it comes to consent, but it can also mean you’re less like to think carefully about things like contraception and safer sex. So, if either you or your partner is a bit hammered, it’s better to sleep it off rather than do something you may regret.

Finally, never underestimate the importance of enjoying sex within a healthy relationship. This means keeping away from relationships that include abuse, control or manipulation, and just generally avoiding sexual relationships with people who don’t make you feel awesome and valued. Rates of STI’s, much like unplanned pregnancy, have been proven to be higher within abusive relationships, and abusive partners are often less likely to want to negotiate sex, so the more equal and positive the relationship the better your sexual health will be.

References:

Sexual Health information networking and education SA
http://www.shinesa.org.au/

Family Planning NSW
http://www.fpnsw.org.au/

Scarleteen
www.scarleteen.com

Also, for some more helpful info on sexual health, why not browse through some ReachOut.com fact sheets and stories...

• FAQs about Sex(Fact sheet)
• Consent and sex(Fact sheet)
• My decision(Story)