Sexual health is an important part of your overall wellbeing. While at university, you may choose to be sexually active or not, either way, having clear, reliable information can help you make choices that feel right for you, protect your health, and feel more confident and in control.

Sexual health isn’t just about preventing infections or pregnancy. It's also about consent, communication, relationships, and knowing where to get support if you need it.

What does sexual health mean?

It's about your physical, emotional, and relational wellbeing. It’s about feeling informed, safe, respected, and able to make choices that feel right for you.

Sexual health includes:

• understanding consent
  
• knowing your contraception options
  
• spotting healthy vs unhealthy relationship dynamics
  
• getting help early if something doesn’t feel right

It’s also normal to reach out for academic advice if stress about your health is making it harder to manage your studies, your wellbeing and learning are closely connected.

Looking after your sexual health is a normal, responsible part of adult life.

What can I do now?

Protection

Condoms are one of the easiest ways to protect against STIs and reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy. The UK Government recommends using them consistently, it’s simple and effective. Condoms can also help reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy.

Free condoms and contraception:

• The SU provide free condoms which you can collect on campus from the SU Support and Advice Centre (1 East 3.13) in the SU
  
• sign up to the C-Card Scheme, run by Bath and North East Somerset. This is available to people aged 13–24 and allows you to collect free condom packs from over 50 locations across the area
  
• internal condoms (previously called femidoms), lubricant and dental dams are available for free through the C-Card Scheme
  
• other forms of contraception are available for free through the NHS. You can access these by contacting your GP (doctor) or finding a local sexual health service
  
• emergency contraception is also available for free from the Riverside Sexual Health Clinic, or from a pharmacy
• Brook have a comprehensive guide on contraception so you can explore which is best for you

Sexually transmitted infections (STI's)

If you’ve had unprotected sex or are worried you may have an STI, it’s important to get tested. The Riverside Sexual Health Clinic in Bath offers confidential testing for common infections.

Some STI's don’t cause symptoms, but possible signs include:

• pain when passing urine
  
• unusual discharge
  
• genital or rectal blisters or sores
  
• bleeding between periods or after sex
  
• pain or discomfort around the testes
  
• itchy genitals or anus
  
• a rash
  
• lumps or skin growths around your genitals or anus

Symptoms may not appear immediately and depends on the type of STI. Many STI's don't have symptoms so testing is the only way to know for sure.

You can also order free postal STI testing kits through the Yuno website. These include blood spot tests for HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis.

Pregnancy

Free pregnancy tests are available from the SU Support and Advice Centre (1 East 3.13) in The SU, or can be bought from a pharmacy.

If your pregnancy was unplanned, it’s important to contact your GP as soon as possible. They can offer confidential, non-judgemental advice, talk through your options, and support you with whatever decision you make.

Sexual hygiene

It's always important to practice good sexual hygiene to reduce the risk of infections and STI's:

• Healthline have a useful article on how to clean up after sex including body hygiene, cleaning up after anal sex and avoiding UTI's
• Love Honey have a guide on how to clean sex toys

Healthy relationships

Consent is a key part of healthy relationships. It should be clear, mutual, and never assumed. Consent helps ensure everyone feels comfortable and respected, and that boundaries are clear.

The Never OK campaign is a university campaign to tackle harassment, bullying, sexual misconduct and discrimination including consent. Brook have a guide on sex and consent including information about what consent means and why it matters.

If you have concerns about consent, or if you’ve experienced a situation where consent wasn’t given, you can use the Support and Report tool to have a confidential conversation with a trained member of staff.

Sexual violence and domestic abuse

If you have concerns about or have experienced or witnessed sexual violence or domestic abuse, support is available through our sexual violence and domestic abuse guides.

Staying safe online and sexting

Sharing someone’s intimate images without consent is a crime.

The pressures of social media and online trends mean it might seem ‘normal’ to send explicit pictures to someone you’re interested in or you’re dating, but you don’t have to do this if you aren’t comfortable with it. Once it’s online, it’s hard to remove, so think carefully before you send something. If someone is pressuring you, threatens you, or manipulates you into sending images you don’t want to send, that is a crime. The Revenge Porn Helpline - 0345 6000 459 has more information and support.

If you’ve experienced this, or witnessed it happening to someone else, you can also seek support through Support and Report.

Useful apps

Apps can be a useful tool to look after your sexual health:

• the NHS app is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services and advice

Podcasts

Podcast can be a great way to explore sexual health and relationships:

• Radio 1's Lifehacks podcast often delves into topics surrounding wellbeing. In this episode they explore common questions around sex and relationships
  
• The Sexual Wellness Sessions is a podcast hosted by Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist Kate Moyle and explores many aspects of sex and relationships
  
• Fumble Talks explores STI's relationships and consent
  
• Sex Talks is hosted by Adele Roberts and Hilary Ineomo-Marcus and covers all aspects of sexual health including addiction, LGBTQ+, religion and more with specialist guests
  
• Teach us consent is a podcast series on everything you need to get confident with consent, sex, and relationships

Helpful videos

The following videos offer practical tips and advice on sexual health:

• The NHS with SH:24 answer some common Sexual health questions. (10 minute watch)
  
• Brook have useful videos on their YouTube channel on the topics of sexual health and relationships

Helpful websites

These websites can provide further information and advice:

• the NHS has information and advice on sexual health
  
• Brook have a Sexual Health and Wellbeing guide which is full of simple guides to contraception, STI's, Gender, sexuality and more
  
• Yuno has comprehensive guides on STI's, symptoms, contraception and allows you to order online test kits
  
• Safe is the sexual health website for people living in Bath and North East Somerset
  
• the LGBT Foundation have a range of guides for LGBTQ+ sexual health including healthy sex, protection and resources
  
• Sexual health for Trans and nonbinary people is a website by the Terrance Higgins Trust including information on safe sex, testing for HIV and STIs, and feeling comfortable with relationships and having sex
  
• The University has a helpful guide outlining support for student parents.

People you can talk to

Support is available whether you need help for sexual health, pregnancy or relationships:

• your GP (doctor) can support you with sexual health advice, contraception, emergency contraception and pregnancy
  
• local NHS services can provide confidential STI testing, contraception and emergency contraception
  
• our domestic abuse and sexual violence guides explain where to get support if you have experienced or witnessed abuse or violence
  
• the Student Support Advice Team can offer guidance and signposting if you are having relationship difficulties that are impacting your wellbeing
  
• The SU Advice Team can offer confidential, non‑judgemental support if health‑related stress is affecting your studies. They can help you explain the impact on your academic work in an IMC, extension request or appeal, and you can choose how much personal or sensitive detail you feel comfortable sharing

Final thoughts

Looking after your sexual health is about having information, options, and support, not about judgement or pressure. Whether you’re seeking contraception, testing, advice, or reassurance, help is available.