UHS hosting Safer Sex Week
February 11, 2013
By Colleen Kochensparger | @KyKernel
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, University Health Service is hosting Safer Sex Week, with campus events designed to keep students informed about sexual health.
The timing is not a coincidence, said Brandy Reeves, a UHS sexuality educator and health education coordinator; Feb. 14 is also National Condom Day.
The UK Sexperts, a student peer health education group that focuses on sexual health, will host a Sexual Feud game in White Hall Classroom Building, Room 217, at 7 p.m. Monday.
“We have some pretty entertaining questions, I think,” Reeves said. “It’s a fun way to get the information across … I definitely think the students will get a kick out of some of the responses.”
UHS also is providing a free — and needle-free — HIV test in the Student Center on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Results will be provided within 20 minutes.
According to Reeves, one of the main reasons people don’t test themselves for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is a fear of needles, so the oral swab is a handy alternative to work toward safer sex.
“We’ve been seeing an increase in sexually transmitted infections here at UHS,” Reeves said.
UHS will be outside the Starbucks in the Student Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Wednesday to hand out condoms, candy and other freebies.
“We want to encourage people to use condoms even if they’re on birth control,” Reeves said.
People tend to see condoms as only a pregnancy preventer, when in actuality, condoms can also help ensure safety from STIs, Reeves said.