People generally want to be healthy. We try and eat properly, exercise, and manage our emotional and mental well-being. But what about our sexual health? Are we taking care of it? And how does one take care of their sexual health? One of the more common way and easiest ways to do this is by using condoms.
Do college students actually use condoms? The answer, unfortunately, is a resounding ‘no’ for a majority of people.
A study from the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada shows that about half of sexually active college students don’t regularly use condoms. A separate study shows that the likelihood of using a condom decreases between freshman and senior year. The likelihood of someone not using condoms during sex increases from 7% to 16% from freshman to sophomore year alone. (http://healthland.time.com/2013/11/12/no-condom-culture-why-teens-arent-practicing-safe-sex/ ).
There are many ways to get condoms. One way is through a campus health center. This is an option here at Muhlenberg. However, only offering condoms at the health center can be problematic since it isn’t always open. Some campuses even have condom dispensers and vending machines, like at Tufts University in Massachusetts.
However, there is often an issue with the types of condoms being offered on campus. A 2016 survey of 438 school across the nation showed that a majority offered some type of condom for those with penises, both with spermicide and without spermicide. However, barely half of these campuses offered condoms for those with vaginas. If you want a female condom or if you are not happy with condom choice on campus, you might have to opt to go off campus to buy your own. (Link to the study. Please note, this study uses heavily gendered language: http://www.statepress.com/article/2016/10/spcampus-condom-availability-campus-asu )
There is nothing wrong with having multiple sexual partners. But you should know that having unprotected sex with those that never use condoms only increases your risk of being exposed to disease. Unexpected pregnancy is always a possibility when you do not use a form of birth control. Put your sexual health first and insist that you both stay safe. You deserve it.