Sexual Health
- No means no.
- Monitor your own and your partner's alcohol or drug intake.
- Communicate openly.
- Respect sexual privacy.
- Be considerate of others.
- In sexual situations, always be thinking ahead.
- Be prepared.
- Share responsibility in a sexual relationship.
- Don't sexually harass other individuals.
- Be sure sexual activity is consensual. If you're not sure, ask.
Sexuality is an important aspect of your overall wellness. Sexuality is more than what you do with another person sexually; it is also about the person you are, your body, the way you dress, move, speak, act, and feel about other people, and about whom you are attracted to. Sex can also be a part of sexuality. Decisions about whether or not to have sex with another person are personal and significant. Many students decide that this is an experience that they will save for later. In making decisions about something as significant as entering into a sexual relationship, you should be as informed as possible.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
No one is exempt from taking steps to prevent risks. If you have unprotected sexual contact, whether it be anal, vaginal, or oral, with one person who is infected, you run the risk of contracting the infection. It can take as little as one exposure.
If you think you may be at risk for an STI, it is important to be as informed as possible. STI testing can determine whether or not you have contracted an STI. A clinician can assist in developing a plan to treat the condition. It is important to seek treatment for an STI as early as possible, as STIs left untreated can cause further complications.
Protect yourself every single time you have any kind of sex. Abstinence is the only method to offer 100% protection against STIs. If you choose to be sexually active, barrier methods such as latex condoms and latex barriers offer you the best protection (though not 100%) available against STIs. Latex barriers should also be used when performing oral sex with a female to lessen your risks.
HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can infect any person at any age. If you have unprotected sex (anal, oral, or vaginal) with an infected person, you run the risk of contracting an STI.
- Get tested if you believe there is a chance you may have contracted an STI. You can access anonymous HIV testing (617.495.2139) or your Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) primary care clinician team (617.495.2001 or 617.495.8414) can provide general STI testing and confidential HIV testing.
- Consider talking with the peer counseling groups, Peer Contraceptive Counselors (PCC) (617.495.7561) or Contact (617.495.8111).
- Seek support and assistance from the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (OSAPR) (617.495.9100) or your Sexual Assault Sexual Harassment Adviser (SASH) if you have experienced a nonconsensual sexual encounter. Sexual relationships involve some decisions that need to be fully considered before being made. Keep in mind the following in regard to your sexual health:
- Communicate openly with potential partners about expectations, risks, and boundaries.
- Protect yourself each and every time that you have sexual relations with a partner. Use condoms and latex barriers.
- Limit the use of alcohol. Alcohol decreases your ability to make smart decisions.
- Make an appointment to understand your options and discuss contraception methods ahead of time with a member of your Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) primary care clinician team (617.495.2001 or 617.495.8414) if you are planning on having intercourse.
- Contact the Ask a Nurse line (617.998.4847) if you have questions or concerns about your sexual health.
- Contact a member of your primary care clinician team to discuss sexual health (617.495.2001 or 617.495.8414) and well-being.
- Be prepared. Pick up free condoms and latex barriers from Peer Contraceptive Counselors (617.495.7561) or the Center for Wellness and Health Communication (617.495.9629).
- Know that in situations where a condom breaks, options are available (including emergency contraception) through your Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) primary care clinician team (617.495.2001 or 617.495.8414) or the Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) After Hours Urgent Care Clinic (617.495.5711).
- Stop by the Center for Wellness and Health Communication (617.495.9629) or check with your Community Health Initiative Representative (617.495.9629) for additional resources and information about sexual health.
- Know what resources are available so that you can consult with these services for assistance before speaking to your friend about the issue. Also, knowing what resources are available will help you to discuss options that your friend might want to access. (For a listing of on-campus and off-campus resources, please see the Resources section at the end of this guidebook.)
- Be sure that you meet your friend in a comfortable place where you can talk privately and at a time when neither of you are rushed. Talk in a calm and considerate manner about the specific things you have seen or felt that caused you to worry about his or her well-being.
- Voice your concern in a supportive and careful way. It is important not to judge or criticize when trying to help a friend. Here are three tips:
- Use “I” statements. For example, “I’m worried about your safety,” or, “It makes me afraid to hear you talk about suicide.”
- Avoid “You” statements that sound critical. For example, “You’re out of control!” or, “You must be crazy!”
- Avoid giving simple solutions. For example, “Everything would be okay if you just stopped...”
- If your friend won’t talk with you about the issue, you may need to tell someone else. Consider talking to a proctor, tutor, coach, healthcare professional, or another trusted person about your concerns.
- Remember that you cannot make someone get help or change his or her attitudes and behaviors. You can, however, make a significant difference by sharing your concerns, providing support, and knowing where to get more information.
- Be sure to take time for yourself. It is important to pay attention to your own health while helping a friend.
- Although you may be willing to do anything and everything to help, don’t try to take over your friend’s life. Offer support, but be patient.
- Your friend may only be ready to share a certain amount with you. Don’t force your friend to talk, but make sure he or she knows that you are there for support when and if he or she wants to talk more about the issue.
- Brainstorm possible options that are viable, appropriate, and agreeable for your friend’s specific situation. Don’t approach the discussion with what you would consider the “best solution.”
- Personal issues can be hard to explain, and your friend may have trouble putting how he or she feels into words. Be reassuring and non-judgmental, and try your best to understand your friend’s problem. Clarify what you hear your friend saying to make sure you understand what he or she is conveying. This may help your friend to gain clarity about the issue as well.
- To be a good friend, never keep talk of suicide a secret, even if a friend has asked you to. Take it seriously and seek help immediately from a proctor, tutor, coach, healthcare professional, or another trusted person. It is better to risk losing a friendship than to risk losing a friend forever.
Source: www.nmha.org
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