This page covers:
Sexual Health:
The best way to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to use a condom when having sex and to have an annual sexual health screening at your local sexual health clinic. Further screenings are also recommended if you change sexual partner or experience any unusual symptoms.
You can access the following from Herts SU:
- Free condoms are available from both Herts SU Welcome Desks; the Welcome Desk on College Lane is open weekdays (10:00-16:00), as is the Welcome Desk on De Havilland Campus (term-time only).
- Chlamydia / Gonorrhoea self-testing kits are available from both Herts SU Welcome Desks and at the Oval (College Lane). You can help yourselves to these!
- Free pregnancy testing kits are available upon request from a member of the Advice & Support team. Please ask us if you need one.
Please see the Sexual Health Services for Students for more information on this.
For free, friendly and confidential advice about sexual health matters you can call Sexual Health Hertfordshire on 0300 008 5522 from 09:00-20:00, Monday to Friday or 09:00-13:00 on Saturdays.
Online Dating:
Herts is pretty diverse which means whatever you’re looking for you’ve got a good chance of finding it, but online dating can be awesome - it allows you to meet so many more people.
Here comes the serious bit… if you are chatting or meeting people online, please take these three simple steps to stay safe:
- Guard your identity – don’t share your real name or any personal contact information until you have built up some trust.
- Never send an intimate picture to someone unless you completely trust them – you have no control over what they might chose to do with it in the future.
- Get to know the other person online before meeting them offline.
- And remember, if you meet up in person - always let someone know where you are and meet in a public space.
Consensual Sex:
If you haven’t given / received consent for sex it shouldn’t happen. If it does, there is no other word for it other than ‘rape’ – even if consent was initially given and then someone changed their mind part way through.
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A no is always a no (it never means yes)
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If there isn’t either a yes or a no – that is also always a no.
The University is committed to a zero-tolerance approach to any incidents of sexual misconduct and violence. Any incidents will be thoroughly addressed to ensure the preservation of a safe work and study environment.
Please see the Sexual Violence page for more information.