This is all about responsibility. Mind, when I was younger, you’d see me down the town on a Saturday night, looking for a drink and a good time with me mates until the early hours.

Sometimes I’d find it and wake up next day wondering where I’d been
and what I’d done. Not a responsible way to carry on!

Many lads think that sexual health is just about avoiding getting
a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or controlling pregnancy (contraception).  But you also have a responsibility to protect
your and your partner’s sexual health, and the best way to do
this is to practice safe sex and in part, that means using our old
friend, the condom.

If you go unprotected and are unlucky enough to get an infection, you can go to your GP or local GUM (Genito Urinary Medicine) Clinic. They’ll do a full range of tests on you, will give advice, will not judge, will give you free medication (if necessary) and you don’t even have to give your name.

So what about STIs?

Chlamydia is the commonest in the UK. It can show little or no symptoms in men, but a man who carries it will constantly re-infect his partner.

For women this can have a long-term effect and can unfortunately lead
to them being permanently sterile.  For men the effects can be very little, but once discovered, it can be cured with antibiotics.

HPV (Human Pappilloma Virus) is also very common - showing up on your tackle as a series of warts and can be easily treated. But without treatment you’ll constantly re-infect your partner.

Women can also contract cervical cancer which they get tested for
on a regular basis - known as a ‘Smear Test’.  Of all women in the
UK who contract this cancer, 98% will have the HPV virus in their
bodies. This means that there is a link between one being in the
presence of theother.

HIV/AIDS affects everyone equally and knows no boundaries or class barriers. The best way you can protect yourself against this is to practice safe sex.

Like everything else, if you’re not sure, see your GP.