Understanding Safety

What Are STIs?

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact. This includes vaginal, oral, or anal sex, and even close skin-to-skin contact in some cases. Common examples include HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HPV (human papillomavirus), and herpes.

These infections are usually contracted through unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex. In some cases, they can also spread through close skin-to-skin contact, especially when there are active sores or infected areas involved.

STIs are more common than you might think—especially among young people. The tricky part? You can have an STI without any symptoms, so you might not even know you have one.

How Are STIs Transmitted?

STIs spread through different types of sexual contact, including:

Vaginal, oral, or anal sex
Skin-to-skin contact with infected areas (e.g. kissing or contact with oral/genital herpes sores or HPV warts)
Contact with body fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, or blood

You can get an STI even if:

It’s your first time
Your partner has no visible symptoms
You trust your partner

That’s why protection and awareness are super important.

Prevention and Management

The good news? STIs are preventable and manageable.

Here’s how you can protect yourself:

1. Practice safe sex (using protection every time)

2. Limit the number of sexual partners

3. Get tested regularly if you’re sexually active

4. Talk openly with your partner about sexual health

Remember: some STIs are curable, while others can be managed with proper treatment. Early testing makes a big difference.

For HIV prevention and management, there are options like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) that can help reduce your risk.

Learn more about HIV prevention here.