It is not
difficult to protect yourself and your partner from HIV/AIDS, hepatitis or
sexually transmissible infections (STI).
Sometimes both men and women can find it hard to start a conversation about safe sex, but
this conversation is the most important way for you to protect yourself.
What is safe sex?
Using condoms
Protecting yourself from infected blood
Get tested
what is safe sex?
Safe sex
means not allowing your partner's body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluids)
into your body and vice versa.
Safe
activities can include kissing, touching and cuddling. Using condoms for
vaginal, anal or oral sex will also protect you from becoming infected with HIV
or other STI.
Safe sex is
also having only one sexual partner and staying monogamous. If you or your
partner have had sex with other people, then you should use condoms or get a
sexual health test.
using condoms
A condom is
a plastic barrier that is used to cover the penis during sex, to stop fluids
being passed from one person to another.
Why use condoms?
- A
condom is an effective way to protect you and your partner from HIV and other
sexually transmissible infections.
- Using
condoms is a very effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies.
- Condoms
are very easy to find. You can get them from any supermarket, petrol station or
chemist, and many sexual health services (such as MHSS) give them away for
free.
- There
are different kinds of condoms that can make sex more enjoyable for both you
and your partner.
How to use a condom
- Open
the condom packet carefully so that you do not tear the condom. Pinch the tip
of the condom and roll it carefully all the way down th shaft of the erect
penis.
- Do
not use the condom if it is torn or damaged. Only use condoms before their
expiry date.
- Make
sure you withdraw your penis while it is hard to prevent the condom slipping
off. Hold the base of the condom while you withdraw, to prevent spills.
- Do
not reuse condoms. Dispose of used condoms in a rubbish bin.
A lubricant is a water-based gel that you
put on the outside of a condom to make it slippery and so it feels good for
both partners. Using a lubricant during sex can prevent tearing on the genitals
or the condom.
Source: Australian
Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University.
Protecting yourself from infected blood
HIV, hepatitis B and
hepatitis C can also be spread through infected blood. In Australia, this
happens most often among people who share needles when injecting drugs. If you
inject drugs, then do not share your needle with anyone else and use a new
needle every time.
You can
also get infected if you get a tattoo or body piercing at a place where the
equipment is not sterilised.
Do not
share equipment such as toothbrushes or razors with other people, as they can
carry small and invisible amounts of infected blood.
Get tested
Tests for
HIV, hepatitis and STI are simple, painless and free. If you get tested and
even if you have an infection, you can access treatment and stop yourself from
infecting others.
More
about testing