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Safe Sex

Results of the Smarter Sex Survey Show What Students Really Think About Sex and Relationships

According to an online survey of 1,051 men and women ages 18-24:

• Two-thirds (66 percent) of women surveyed reported that they are in committed relationships while only one third (38 percent) of men reported the same.
• Students participating in this survey had intercourse with an average of 1.2 partners in the last year.
• About 32 percent of male survey participants have not had intercourse, compared to 18 percent of female survey participants.
• Most students (74 percent) agree that sex and contraception should be discussed in advance. However, when questioned about their first sexual experience, both men (32 percent) and women (24 percent) say that sex wasn't planned, and that things went further than they expected.

More information can be found at SmartSex website.

Some Other Things To Think About

Misconceptions and little know facts about STD’s, HIV, and Sex:

• According to a study done by the Center for the Advancement of Health, over 15 million new cases of STDs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis occur each year. More findings included:
  

  "Nearly half of the study participants believed douching protected against STDs, approximately 40 percent thought urinating after sex staved off STDs, 20 percent believed birth control pills protected against STDs, and 16 percent thought washing genitals after sex was effective protection."

  For the record none of these things protect against STD’s, HIV, or pregnancy. The best protection is still abstinence, and secondly proper condom use followed by birth control.
• Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing the transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In addition, correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of other STDs.
• Condoms are 98 percent effective in preventing pregnancy when used consistently and correctly.
• The most common condom mistake is putting on the condom upside down. It should unroll smoothly and easily from the rim on the outside.
• The worst place to carry a condom is your back pocket. Condoms with spermicide have a shelf life of three years; those without spermicide have a shelf life of five years.
• The spread of STD’s, HIV, and pregnancy is directly related to knowledge and misconceptions about the subject.
• A survey of what Americans know about AIDS found that four out of 10 mistakenly believe it is possible to get the disease by sharing a drinking glass or being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person.
• About 42 million people in the world are infected with HIV or currently have AIDS - and nearly have of this number are women - which puts to rest the common misconception that AIDS is a "gay disease."
• There were 42,000 new HIV cases diagnosed in the United States during the 2000 calendar year. More than 15,000 people in America die each year from AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• The World Health Organization predicts AIDS will claim more than 3 million lives this year with 5 million new infections during the same period.
• Sexual transmission still is the most prevalent manner in which HIV/AIDS is contracted. But the CDC reports injection drug use directly and indirectly accounts for more than one of every three new cases reported.
• Despite broad-based public education programs, many people still don’t know HIV/AIDS cannot be contracted from a toilet seat. Much of the ignorance is rooted in fear.

Lower Your Risk of Contracting an STD or Becoming Pregnant

1. Maintain a monogamous and honest relationship with your partner.
2. If you are sexually active, always use protection -- whether a condom, birth control, or any other forms of contraception. Whatever the method keep in mind that abstinence is one hundred percent accurate whereas there are always risks involved when using all other preventative methods.
3. Don't use drugs or consume alcohol. Both can inhibit smart decision making.
4. Have regular medical examinations and STD/HIV tests.

Maintained by webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: May 15, 2007 13:21:07