Safe sex

From Robin's SM-201 Website
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Safe Sex

Safe Sex (also called safer sex or protected sex) is a set of practices that are designed to reduce the risk of infection during sexual activity to avoid developing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Conversely, unsafe sex refers to engaging in sexual intercourse without the use of any barrier contraception or other preventive measures against STDs.

Safe sex practices became prominent in the late 1980s as a result of the AIDS epidemic. From the viewpoint of society, safer sex can be regarded as a harm reduction strategy. Safe sex is about risk reduction, not complete risk elimination.

Although safe sex practices can be used as a form of contraceptive and family planning, the term refers to efforts made to prevent infection rather than conception. Many effective forms of contraception do not offer protection against STIs.

Recently (mostly within Canada and the United States) the use of the term safer sex rather than safe sex has gained greater use by health workers, with the realization that risk of transmission of sexually transmitted infections in various sexual activities is a continuum rather than a simple dichotomy between risky and safe. However, in most other countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, the term safe sex is still mainly used by sex educators.

Sexual terms and slang
In pornography
Sexual slurHuman sexualityList of sexual termsSexologyTerminology of homosexuality
AIDS and HIV articles
AIDSAIDS pandemicHIVHIV testAIM-MEDCondomSafe sexHIV N6 immunitySerosorting

Related SM-201 articles: STD's • Marc Wallice

Wikipedia:HIV/AIDSWikipedia:HIV testing
Chain-09.png
Jump to: Main PageMicropediaMacropediaIconsTime LineHistoryLife LessonsLinksHelp
What links hereReferences and SourcesContact info