1. Risks of Sexual Activity
Miss Hopkins

2. Fact or Myth? Myth: Only "trashy" people get STDs.
Fact: STDs don't discriminate.
Myth: If your partner has an STD, you'll see it.
Fact: There's often no sign that a person has an STD.

3. Fact or Myth? Myth: You can avoid STDs by having oral or anal sex.
Fact: Where there's sex (oral, anal, vaginal, or even just sexual contact), there can be STDs.
Myth: Once you've had an STD, there's no chance of getting it again.
Fact: You can get some STDs more than just once.

4. STD
Sexually Transmitted Disease – any germ that spreads from one person to another during sexual contact

5. Harmful Effects Physical and emotional suffering
Short-term: pain, discomfort, embarrassment
Long-term: risk of cancers and infertility
Some treatable with medicines, some fatal

6. Risky Behaviors and the STD Epidemic
Ignoring risks
Not taking precautions
“It can’t happen to me.”
Multiple partners
More partners, greater chances
Not seeking treatment
Too embarrassed
Some have no symptoms

7. Avoiding STDs Practice sexual abstinence
Oral sex – mouth to genital contact (exposure to skin sores and fluids)
Anal sex – penis in anus (skin tears easily, higher exposure to blood)
Genital-to-genital contact – w/o intercourse, spreads through sores on skin
Intercourse

8. Avoiding STDs Avoid drug abuse Share needles for drugs/steroids
Body piercing / tattoos
Engaging in sexual activity w/ someone who uses infected needles

9. Avoiding STDs Choose responsible friends Sexual fidelity (monogamy)
Support healthy decisions
Easier to resist pressures
Sexual fidelity (monogamy)
2 people having sexual contact only with one another
Teenage relationships?
Barrier protection
Use a condom to reduce risk
Doesn’t protect against all

10. Why are young people at risk?

11. Is everyone doing it?
How many people in your grade do you think are sexually active? (estimate a %)
Recent studies show the majority of HS students have not had sex and choose to remain abstinent
Why might teenagers talk more about sex than actually participate in it?

12. Question
My boyfriend is pressuring me to have sex but I want to wait. How can I resist the pressure?
Set specific goals
State your boundaries
Find supportive friends

13. Myth or Fact Activity
On a sheet of paper, write FACT on one side and MYTH on the other side in large letters.
After I read a statement, if you believe it is a myth, hold up the MYTH side and vice versa for FACT.

14. Questions to Answer
What are 3 risky behaviors that contribute to the current STI epidemic?
How is monogamy helpful in protecting against STDs?
How is the fact that some STIs have few or no symptoms related to the STI epidemic?
How are refusal skills and effective communication important skills that teens can use to avoid STIs?
Describe 2 ways someone would most effectively avoid STIs throughout their lifetime.
What are 2 facts you learned today that you can tell students who aren’t in this class?