Student Health Services

Safer sex means protecting yourself and your partner from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV and unplanned pregnancy. Safer sex can also mean deciding to abstain from sexual intercourse or finding other forms of sexual expression that do not involve the exchange of bodily fluids.

OSU Sex Stats

Every two years we survey students on their sexual health behaviors as well as a whole host of other health behaviors. Here is what we found:

• 29 percent of OSU students weren’t sexually active within the last year
• 71 percent of students had one or more partners during the last year
• But out of that 71 percent who are sexually active, 49 percent of them had only had one partner during the last year

Of those that are sexually active:

• 45 percent has had oral sex within the last 30 days
• 52 percent has had vaginal intercourse in the last 30 days and
• 4 percent has had anal sex in the past 30 days

NOTE: There is a big discrepancy between how much sex people think everyone else is getting and what students are actually reporting.

Continuum of Risk

There are varying levels of risk involved with sexual activities.

LOW RISK

• Fantasy, cyber sex, or phone sex
• Using clean sex toys
• Masturbation or mutual masturbation
• Touching or massage
• Fondling or body rubbing
• Kissing

MODERATE RISK

• Manual stimulation of one another
• Vaginal intercourse with a condom or female condom
• Anal intercourse with a condom or female condom
• Oral sex on a man with a condom
• Oral sex on a woman with a dental dam or non-microwavable plastic wrap

HIGH RISK

• Vaginal intercourse without a condom
• Anal intercourse without a condom

Lower Your Risk of STIs and Unwanted Pregnancy

• Avoid using alcohol and other drugs before and during sexual intercourse
• Learn the common STD/STI symptoms and perform monthly genital self exams
• Have regular medical check-ups, annual exams
• Stay Healthy
• Get tested
• Limit your number of sexual partners
• Knowing yourself and what you want in a relationship
• Learning how to communicate with your partner about safer sex issues
• Contraception 
  • Barrier methods
  • Hormonal Methods