Healthy Sexuality

Safer Sex
Sexual health is state of well being in relation to sexuality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sexual health involves physical, emotional, mental and social awareness. Being sexually healthy is more than just being free of disease. It’s about having healthy sexual relationships, being self-aware and having a respectful attitude towards the topic of sexuality. Student Health Promotion offers many resources to students regarding healthy sexual activity, reproduction and pregnancy prevention, sexual orientation, contraception and healthy relationships.

Safer sex involves students communicating with their partner and identifying the best barrier method to help prevent direct contact with their partner’s sexual fluids. The correct use of a barrier method can prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections, HIV and pregnancy.

Student Health Promotion offers the following:

• Condoms (male/external and female/internal)
• Dental dams
• Lubricant

Why Does Student Health Promotion Offer These?
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, over the past five years (2014-2018), Georgia saw a 14.3% increase in all STIs rates with the highest rates among females and youth ages 14-24. Student Health Promotion believes it has a responsibility to educate and promote safe sexual practices among the Georgia State University student body.

For proper use, follow the links below:

• How to use a male or external condom
• How to use a female or internal condom
• How to use a dental dam

Sexually Transmitted Infections
Student Health Promotions’ goal is to provide information and educate students on safer sex practices to decrease the risk for contracting or spreading a sexually transmitted infection. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. In some cases, an individual may carry the virus or bacteria (infection), but not display any symptoms (disease). This is why the terms are often used interchangeably. There are many types of sexually transmitted infections. Below are the ones most common in the college-aged population. More than half of the sexually active population will get one at some time in our lives.

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention STI Fact Sheet
• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Hepatitis B
• Herpes
• Human papilloma virus (HPV)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Syphilis

Male and female students who believe they have contracted a sexually transmitted infection can seek a diagnosis and treatment at the Student Health Clinic.

Got Consent?
Healthy sexuality is not only about students preventing pregnancy and protecting themselves from STIs or HIV, it is also about the choice to become sexually active. Sexual activity requires effective consent. Effective consent is words or actions that show a knowing and voluntary agreement to engage in a mutually agreed upon sexual activity. To put it simply, it is two people agreeing to do the same thing, in the same way, at the same time.

Student Victim Assistance provides support services to students who have experienced a non-consensual sexual encounter.