It’s on the TV, in magazines, the internet, you hear about it on the radio and in loads of music lyrics…people always seem to be talking about it.
But lets be Honest… when it comes down to it, no body can tell you what to do, how to do it or when to do it because we are all different.
In fact, most 16 year olds haven’t had sex (even if they say they have) and the majority of young people who had sex at 13 and 14 wished they had waited.
When to have sex is different for everybody- knowing when the time is right and feeling ready is very personal. What is right for one person may not be right for another.
It’s your choice and nobody else’s.
This checklist may be able to help you make a decision that’s right for you
You feel you could say no and that would be OK – but you still want to do it.
Do you feel you could say no to sex without it damaging your relationship?
You know your own mind and know its right
You may have some anxieties about it – but not any fear
Are you sure that nobody’s focusing you, pressurising you or bullying you into it?
You know you won’t regret it – as much as you ever can know that
You don’t need someone else’s permission
You’re not doing it just to keep up with your friends
You’ve agreed you’re both in love and want to take this next step together
You don’t want to have sex to keep a boyfriend/girlfriend or just to make you popular
Have you and your girlfriend/boyfriend talked about using condoms and contraception?
You each want it for yourselves – not just because the other person does or to please them
Have you agreed what happens next, if you tell your Friends afterwards or not and what happens if you fall pregnant?
You aren’t really ready for sex until you can tick all of these boxes- but remember even if you can tick them all it still doesn’t mean you have to.
