MARISSA BURR
Opinion Editor
Content warning: mentions of sexual violence
Advocacy for a healthy and safe sex life has been around since the social change and civil rights movements of the 1940s and 1950s, and to continue on this path, April has become recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reports that, in the years before its first national celebration in 2001, events, marches and observances were held throughout the month.
The first U.S. Take Back The Night Event occurred in 1978, seven years after the first Rape Crisis Center was established in San Francisco.
Since then, the teal ribbon has become the symbol for the movement, and is a symbol for survivors everywhere.
Beyond sexual violence prevention, it is necessary to participate in safe sex practices that will help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections [STIs].
One way is to limit your sexual partners to just one person who is also only having sex with you, although this may vary depending on a person’s sexuality or personal choices. John Hopkins Medicine states this can “reduce exposure to disease-causing organisms.” They also suggest discussing past partners, history of STIs and drug use prior to engaging in intercourse.
In addition, it is suggested that condoms be used every time there is penetrative sex. Male condoms made of latex should be used to cover the penis, but if there is a latex allergy, then a polyurethane one can be used as a substitute. Most female condoms are already made of polyurethane.
When participating in oral sex, using a condom can protect your partner from contracting an STI. They can be transmitted orally, including herpes which can pass through activities like kissing.
It is advised that women should not douche — which is the act of putting a stream of water into the vagina in order to rinse it — after sex to avoid spreading infection into the reproductive tract or washing away spermicide. Douching is also not an effective method of preventing STIs.
Bodily awareness is also necessary for having safe sex. Checking yourself and your partner for rashes, blisters or sores can reveal an unknown infection. Regular testing and bodily examinations with a medical professional are other security measures.
Some experts say that there is no such thing as safe sex because any type with any level of protection carries some risk. Instead, the only 100% safe method is abstaining.
However, this itself isn’t always true because of instances of sexual assault.
On college campuses, sexual violence is pervasive according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN). Among all graduate and undergraduate students, “13 percent experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.”
Both on and off a college campus, people in the 18-24 age range are still at a high risk of sexual violence. Male college-aged students are reported to be 78 percent more likely to be victims than their non-student counterparts. However, female college-aged students are 20 percent less likely to be victims than female non-students.
On the Fredonia campus, those affected by sexual violence can contact the Title IX office or University Police to file a report or inquire about accommodations.
For everyday use, the Health Center also has sexual health services available to all students. They can schedule visits relating to STI testing, birth control and more, as well as supply emergency contraception for $15 and a home pregnancy test for $5. Right outside of their office in LoGrasso Hall, there are also condoms and individual packets of lubrication available for free, along with personal hygiene products.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, contact the above campus resources or 800-656-4673 for 24/7 help.