Editor, Daily Nexus,

Does everyone in I.V. have sex? And if they do are they being safe about it? No, not everyone is having sex, in fact 17 percent of UCSB students do not engage in oral, anal or vaginal sexual intercourse. But for the ones that do, how safe are they? Some are safe and some aren’t , which is how we get nicknames like HIV and UC STD. I have to admit that there are some sexually transmitted diseases in I.V., but I know for a fact that the statistics that our student health measures rate with all the other schools in the nation. We are ranked “average” in terms of numbers of cases and percent infected. So why do we still get the bad rap for being a STD-ridden school? Maybe it is because we are one of the most densely populated towns in the United States and that we have a large majority of that population going to college.

So how worried should you be when it comes to cases of STDs or STIs (sexually transmitted infections)? Well, your chances are pretty high if you engage in high-risk behavior such as unprotected sex and multiple and non-monogamous partners, but if you protect yourself with condoms and dental dams every time you engage in sexual activities, you greatly reduce that risk. I personally am not one to go around I.V. on a Saturday night looking to get some, but some of my friends are. I worry about how healthy they are when it comes to sexual encounters. If you are going to be out there looking to get laid, remember that many STIs are not curable and that you will have them for the rest of your life and that you can spread them to your sexual partners. As a sexual health peer with student health, I know how important it is to be safe and I know how bad the consequences are when you are not. If you want to learn more about safer sex, visit the safer sex fair in Storke Plaza on Tuesday , May 21. We will have prizes, games, music and information regarding safer sex and protecting yourself against STIs and unintended pregnancies.

JONATHAN SIDERS

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