22 King St. W., Suite 401, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 1A3, 905-576-1445 |
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It's easy to think that AIDS is something for other people to worry about - gay people, drug users, people who sleep around. This is wrong - all teens, whoever they are, wherever they live need to take the threat of HIV seriously. To be able to protect yourself, you need to know the facts, and know how to avoid becoming infected.
Isn’t it only a problem for Adults?
No. HIV is a big problem for young people, as well as adults. In 2007, it is estimated that there were 2.5 million people under 15 living with HIV.
What’s the difference between HIV and AIDS?
HIV Virus
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a serious condition in which the body's defenses against some illnesses are broken down. This means that people with AIDS can get many different kinds of diseases which a healthy person's body would normally fight off quite easily.
How long does it take to develop AIDS?
The length of time between being infected with HIV and being diagnosed with AIDS depends on lots of different things. These days, there are many drugs that can be used to help people with HIV, and most doctors believe that a lot of people can be treated for a very long time. Many people do not know exactly when they were infected with HIV, and the length of time between this happening and them being diagnosed with AIDS can be very variable.
How does a person become infected with HIV?
HIV is passed on in the bodily fluids or blood of an infected person, so if infected blood or bodily fluid gets into your body, you can become infected. This usually happens by either having sexual intercourse with an infected person or by sharing needles with an infected person. Infants can become infected by being born to a mother who has HIV and a very small number of people become infected by having medical treatment using infected blood transfusions.
HIV can't be caught by kissing, hugging or shaking hands with an infected person, and it can't be transmitted by sneezes, door handles or dirty glasses.
What is Safe Sex?
Safe sex means sexual activities which you can do even if one person is infected with HIV, and they definitely won't pass it on to the other person. Loads of activities are completely safe. You can dry kiss (lip to lip), cuddle, massage and rub each other's bodies. But if you have any cuts or sores on your skin, make sure they are covered (band-aid). Nothing you do on your own can cause you to get HIV - you can't infect yourself by masturbation.
What about using drugs?
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When a person is taking drugs they may take risks they normally wouldn't take, and they may have unsafe sex when they would normally be more careful. If a person takes drugs, they might find it more difficult to use a condom, or they might forget altogether. One of the most common drugs this can happen with is alcohol - if a person is drunk, they might not always know what they're doing, or they might not care. If a person injects drugs, they should always use a clean needle, syringe and spoon, water, etc each time they inject, and never share any of these with anyone else. If a person snorts drugs, and they use a note or a straw to snort through, they shouldn't share it with anyone else, as blood can be passed from the inside of one person's nose to another. If a person gets a tattoo or a piercing, they should make sure that the needles and equipment used are sterile. Ask the staff at the place you have it done about what precautions they use. |
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What is Safer Sex?
Safer sex also means using a condom during sexual intercourse. Using a condom is not absolutely safe as condoms can break, but condoms can be effective if they are used correctly. (For proper use of both male and female condoms see below).
Oral sex (one person kissing, licking or sucking the genitals of another person) does carry some risk of infection. If a person sucks the penis of an infected man, for example, infected fluid could get into the mouth. The virus could then get into the blood if they have bleeding gums or tiny sores somewhere in the mouth. The same is true if infected vaginal fluids from a woman get into the mouth of her partner. But infection from oral sex alone seems to be very rare.
Can a person get infected from just one exposure to HIV?
Yes, it is possible to get infected from one exposure to HIV.
Can you tell if a person has HIV or AIDS by looking at them?
No, people who are infected with HIV or living with AIDS often show no visible signs of the infection.
Is it true that HIV can be cured?
While there are medications that can control the virus, there is NO cure for HIV.
How do I get tested for HIV?
In Durham region you can contact your Sexual Health Clinic in Pickering, Port Perry or Oshawa for Rapid Point of Care HIV testing. The test is quick and you get results within a few minutes (for more information CLICK HERE ).
Youth and STI’s
What is an STI?
STI stands for Sexually Transmitted Infection. HIV, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis and Genital Herpes are just some examples of STI’s.
Don’t STI’s mostly affect older people who sleep around with multiple partners?
No, in fact some STI’s like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are more common among teens than among older men and women. Also, you don’t have to sleep around to get an STI although it does increase your risk of infection.
What if I think I might have an STI?
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If you think you have an STI you should have a test and get treatment. Untreated STIs can be dangerous - if you don't get help, you may not be able to have children later in life, or it can increase your risk of cancer. In addition, you also could pass it on to your partner(s). |
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Who can I talk to?
It may help you to talk to an adult - perhaps a parent, school nurse or teacher may be able to advise you where you can have an STI test. Or you could ask your family doctor about STI testing. It's much better to talk to someone than to worry on your own.
What if I am shy and embarrassed to go to a Clinic?
Don't worry. The doctors and nurses who work there are professionals and they do this all the time.
Will they tell my Parents?
Most (but not all) clinics have a confidentiality policy, and will not tell anyone, although some places will want you to bring a parent to give consent. You can phone the clinic before you go and find out. The Durham Region Health Departments Sexual Health Clinics offer Free and Confidential services to all ages.
What will an STI examination be like?
They may take a urine sample, a blood sample or a swab from the vagina or penis. Not all STI testing requires you to have a physical examination, and you might not even have to undress. Ask what they are testing for - it may be a good idea to be tested for everything, if you can. Some places can give you the results on the same day, in other places you may have to wait for a week or more. While you wait, you shouldn't have sexual contact with anyone.
If you find that you do have an STI, it's important that you don't pass on the infection to anyone else. Don't have sexual contact with anyone until you have been treated and are no longer infectious.
If you think that you may already have passed on the infection to someone else, it is important that you tell them so that they can have a test, too. If the clinic gives you antibiotics or medication, make sure that you follow the instructions and complete the course of treatment - otherwise the STI may come back.
How can I protect myself?
Using condoms during vaginal, oral and anal sex will help to protect you. You could also use a female condom (although you shouldn't use both male and female condoms together). However, some STIs (such as oral herpes) can be transmitted in other ways, such as kissing. You shouldn't have sexual contact with anyone who has visible sores or genital rashes.
You can only catch an STI by having sexual contact with someone else who already has an STI. This means that someone who does not have an STI can't infect you, and you can't infect yourself by masturbation.
Isn’t it true that you can tell if someone has an STI by looking at them?
No, you can't always. Some people with STIs may have symptoms that you can see, but many people have no symptoms at all. Someone could have an STI and have no symptoms for months or even years, but still be infectious. Using condoms correctly will reduce your risk of infection.
CONDOMS
How do I use a male condom correctly?
When the penis is erect, open the condom wrapper. Don't do it with your teeth! This can cause tiny rips in the condom which you might not notice. Unroll the condom a little over the top of the penis - make sure that the roll is on the outside - if it's backwards then the condom won't unroll. Make sure you pinch the end to squeeze any air out (air trapped in the tip of the condom can cause the condom to break during sexual activity). Then just firmly roll the condom down as far as you can.
If you want to use any lube, put it on the outside of the condom and make sure it's water-based lubricant, such as KY. Oil based lubricants can weaken the condom and make it break. Also, never wear more than one condom at a time. Wearing two condoms isn’t safer, in fact there’s more chance of the condoms breaking.
Note: You should put the condom on before there's any contact between the penis and your partner's body. Fluids released from the penis even very early on in sex can cause pregnancy or transmit an STI.
Tips: When the male partner pulls his penis out, he should hold the base of the condom to make sure that comes out, too. And when taking a condom off, don't just pull on the end. Roll it back from the base and throw it away safely - you might want to tie a knot in the end to stop it leaking. Don't flush used condoms down the toilet - they cause pollution. And don't leave it under the bed for your mom to find or the cat or dog to find and play with – that can be very embarrassing!
How do I use a female condom correctly?
For vaginal use, squeeze the smaller ring and insert it into the vagina until the ring holds in place. The large end should be place over the vaginal opening to protect the outer genitalia from infection.
Tips: 1) Never use a male condom and female condom at the same time. 2) Use a new condom for each act of sexual intercourse. Do not use the same condom for vaginal and anal sex. 3) Female condoms can be used for anal sex, be sure to remove the inner smaller ring before inserting into the anus.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Am I ready for Sex?
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This is a question that almost everyone will ask themselves at some point in their lives, but unfortunately not many people will be able to answer it with a definite "yes" or "no". Having sex for the first time can be a very special experience, but it can also lead to all sorts of complications. Sex without a condom or other form of contraception can result in pregnancy, and if your partner has HIV or a sexually transmitted infection (and you might not always know they do), you can become infected too. |
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There can also be emotional consequences to having sex with someone – it can really change a relationship, and not always for the better. Sex can be very enjoyable with the right person, but it’s very easy to make mistakes and end up hurt, which is why people advise you: "don’t have sex until you’re ready!"
Am I having Sex because I want to?
Or are you thinking about doing it because someone else wants you to? Maybe you’re not sure you’re ready, but your partner is pressuring you? Or perhaps it seems that all your friends seem to be doing it, so you feel you should be too?
Do any of the following sound familiar? -
- “You would if you loved me!”
- “It’s only natural!”
- “Everyone else is doing it!”
- “Don’t you want to make our relationship stronger?”
- “You’ll have to do it sometime – why not now, with me?”
- “I'll be gentle, and it'll be really great, I promise!”
- “I'll only put it in for a second...”
If you recognize any of these phrases, then you should think carefully! These are not the right reasons to have sex. A partner who says things like this is probably trying to put pressure on you and might not really care whether you’re ready or not – if this person doesn’t respect your feelings, they’re probably not the right person to have sex with.
Nor should you have sex just because your friends are saying things like :
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It may feel like your friends are all more experienced and knowledgeable, but they're probably not! Many of them will only be saying this sort of thing because they think everyone will laugh at them if they admit they’ve never really done anything! Besides, being sexually experienced at a young age doesn’t necessarily make someone mature or sensible - in fact, it usually indicates the opposite.
Do I know how to have Safer Sex?
It’s really important that you know how to protect against pregnancy and STI’s, including HIV. Again, this is something you need to talk to your boyfriend or girlfriend about before the event, so you’re both okay about what you’re going to use.
Especially with things like condoms, it’s good to have a bit of practice putting them on and to feel okay about doing it – it’s not enough just to get a condom if you’re not confident enough to use it – they’re no good if they stay in your pocket the whole time!
Does sex fit in with my/their personal beliefs?
It may be that you, your partner or your family have beliefs that say sex at a young age (or before marriage) is wrong. Do you feel comfortable going against these views? Will it cause you unnecessary worry and guilt if you do (or frustration and heartbreak if you don’t!)? Some young people will have sex simply because their family has banned them from doing so, even if they don't realize that this is the reason. Having sex as an act of rebellion may feel great at the time, but if anything goes wrong, you face a very difficult situation, as you may not be able to rely on your family's support.
Even if everything goes well, keeping sex (and all the emotions that go with it) a secret can be very hard – so, if possible, you should make sure you have someone else to talk to that you can trust to keep it to themselves. But remember, the decision to have sex should be an agreement between you and your partner, and while other people may help or influence your decision, they shouldn’t make it for you.
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Piercing and Body Art (front side)
Piercing and Body Art (back side)
Queer Youth in Durham(front side)
Queer Youth in Durham (back side)
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