Staying Safe and Having Fun this Ball Season

By Sexpress Editor Sofia Tinne

Seeing as it is ball season, (I, for one, still haven’t recovered from arts ball). I’m here to remind people to stay safe. Contraceptives, such as condoms, are usually available at clinics or the Students Union. Watch out for your friends and make sure to use the buddy system!

Healthy relationships are built on open communication, which is also crucial for discussing private subjects like contraception, STIs, and sexual health. However, conversations on these issues are sometimes cloaked in stigma, humiliation, or false information, especially if it’s not a relationship you’re engaged in, but just sexually activity.

Respect, trust, and understanding are all fostered by open communication between two sexual partners. Individuals are more likely to seek information, address problems, and make educated decisions when they feel comfortable talking about issues related to their sexual health. Likewise, a supportive environment where people may communicate their needs, preferences, and boundaries without fear of rejection or judgement is fostered via open communication. If left untreated, sexually transmitted illnesses can have long-term effects and provide serious health hazards.

Unfortunately, many people are afraid of being judged or are embarrassed to talk about STIs. By promoting routine testing, telling partners about one's STI status, and talking about preventive measures like condom usage and immunisation against STI-causing viruses like HPV, open communication can help shatter the taboo around STIs.

We need to normalise speaking to sexual partners about our other sexual encounters, especially if the encounter happens to be unprotected. I won’t sit here and tell you you HAVE to use a condom, because you’re all adults and capable of making your own decisions. I mean, you definitely SHOULD use a condom but that's not my job to force you to.

So, for the sake of not only yourself but your other sexual partners, you should absolutely let them know that you are having unprotected sex with someone else and that you should all regularly get tested so everyone is in the clear.