Girlfriend
  • News
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life and Advice
  • Entertainment
  • Role Model Search
  • Dolly Doctor
  • Video
Girlfriend
  • News
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life and Advice
  • Entertainment
  • Role Model Search
  • Dolly Doctor
  • Video
Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer
Watch 1:00

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer

{headline}

{headline}

The Government has apologised for the crazy vaginal mesh scandal

The Government has apologised for the crazy vaginal mesh scandal

PSA: condoms are making a comeback people

PSA: condoms are making a comeback people

If you have this trait, you're apparently better at sex

If you have this trait, you're apparently better at sex

Birth control packs have been recalled after pills were placed out of order

Birth control packs have been recalled after pills were placed out of order

{headline}

{headline}

Tossing Up Whether To Get The IUD? Here's What The Docs Say

Tossing Up Whether To Get The IUD? Here's What The Docs Say

Here's What To Do When A Doctor Dismisses Your Problem, Cos You Deserve To Be Heard

Here's What To Do When A Doctor Dismisses Your Problem, Cos You Deserve To Be Heard

Here's one for the gals: The morning after pill can now be delivered to your door

Here's one for the gals: The morning after pill can now be delivered to your door

{headline}

{headline}

Why you should pee after sex

Why you should pee after sex

7 women reveal how long it takes them to orgasm

7 women reveal how long it takes them to orgasm

Couples with this piece of decor in their bedroom have less sex

Couples with this piece of decor in their bedroom have less sex

This is the reason you're not having sex

This is the reason you're not having sex

Here's how many women actually orgasm during sex

Here's how many women actually orgasm during sex

The one thing that will help your orgasms last up to 4 seconds longer

The one thing that will help your orgasms last up to 4 seconds longer

Women who practice this daily habit get fewer UTIs

Women who practice this daily habit get fewer UTIs

  1. Home
  2. Dolly Doctor

Here's Exactly Why You Gotta Take STIs Seriously

Because safe sex is the best sex. - by Faye Couros
  • 30 Mar 2021

'Tis a truth universally acknowledged that if you are sexually active, you must take responsibility for your sexual health.

Yes, we're about to give you a good old yarn about that three letter word and how to protect yourself - because you, dear reader, are worthy of great things when the time calls for it - including safe sex. 

WATCH: Abbie says she needs a healthy sex life for good relationship.

Let's start by being frank - getting an STI test (Sexually Transmitted Infection test) is an incredibly important thing to do if you are sexually active - and particularly if you have had sex with multiple partners. 

NOTE: Sexually Transmitted Infections are not called STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) anymore; they are now referred to as an STI and no stigma should surround them if you happen to suffer from one - the most important thing is being treated correctly. 

Of course, it might seem like an extremely nerve-racking experience to get an STI test, let alone going to a clinic and waiting for the results. But, trust us; there is nothing more relieving than taking responsibility and ultimately freeing up some of that brain space.

As a whole, Australia isn’t doing too well at keeping STI rates down, and it was reported on the government’s Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report called The Health of Australia’s Females. It outlined worrying data that certain STI’s are on the rise.

m

Taking responsibility for your sexual health will free up brain space.

Getty

Why are STIs are on the rise? 

In 2018 the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported “an increase in rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis,” and the “increase in gonorrhoea and syphilis notifications are more dramatic than the increase in chlamydia, with rates of gonorrhoea in females twice as high in 2017 as in 2008 and rates of syphilis four times as high in 2017 as in 2008.”

In another report, SmartHealth, shared that STI’s are on the rise in all social demographics and ages, and they even site the increase as an “emerging pandemic.”

Smarthealth attributes the rise to the “silent” nature of STIs which makes them hard to detect.

A 2019 article published by the University of New South Wales called National Debrief found in a survey that 75 per cent of Australians aged 15-29 who engaged in sexual activity in the past 12 months didn’t use a condom at least once.

The survey which looked into sexual-health related information about young Australians also found that “69 per cent” of young people did not use a condom when having sex with consistent partners and that “24 per cent” didn’t use a condom with a casual partner.

Condoms are the best ways to protect yourself from STIs, so these stats are pretty alarming and should be taken very seriously.

Triple j Hack spoke to Dr Philippe Adam from UNSW’S Centre for Social Research in Health, who was the lead author for the study attributed the results to a general apathy towards sexual health testing among young Australians.

"Only a minority of young people - 40 per cent - believe sexual health testing is relevant to them," said Dr Adam.

It is also important to be aware that it is usually heterosexual men who do not get regular STI tests.

The survey also found that 63 per cent of women went for testing, whereas only 51 per cent of men do.

"The main reason why young men are not testing is because social norms are quite low," Dr Adams said.

v

Talk to your doctor for more clarification.

Getty

Why it is important to get an STI test

“STIs are really common and a lot of them can occur without knowing that you have them so they don’t necessarily have symptoms.

“It is kind of like Covid, you can have asymptomatic Covid and you can have asymptomatic STIs - so they can spread quickly,” Dr Ashlea Broomfield tells Girlfriend.

As a practising General Practitioner who has post-graduate qualifications with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Ashlea is one of many doctors who are urging young people to get an STI check - even when you think you are fine. 

The test should be viewed with the same importance as any other test you may get at the doctor's, like going for a blood test to check your iron levels.

There is no shame in going, and you will feel so much better when you have all the information in your arsenal.

g

Condoms are the only barrier to protect you from STIs.

Getty

So, what is the deal with condoms?

The Healthdirect website sights condoms as “the only form of contraception that offers some protection from STIs.”

NOTE: Healthdirect also warns that condoms can’t protect you from herpes, genital warts or syphilis, as they are spread through “skin-to-skin contact.”

This is all the more reason to brave getting regular STI tests!

Dr Ashlea acknowledges that there are many reasons people don’t like using condoms which “Can range from not feeling comfortable talking about it with a sexual partner, not enjoying the feel or preferring to have sexual interactions without using the barrier protection.

“Or being intoxicated and the other thing is trust and trusting that they’re (a sexual partner) not the type of person that would have an STI.”

Dr Ashlea offers a rule of thumb to help you decide to trust a new sexual partner.

She says, “The thing that I would say is you don’t know if you don’t know.

“So you don’t know if someone doesn’t have a STI unless they have had a test that shows that they don’t have an STI.”

Is it ever okay to stop using condoms?         

Basically, communication is key here, and the only way for condomless sex to work is for there to be complete transparency between all the people involved in the decision.

“The thing I often tell people it is important with any new partners, it’s important to use condoms and if you decide that that is a relationship where u don’t want to use condoms anymore than it’s important to have a discussion around what are the limits of the sexual relationship.

“Are you going to just have sex with each other? because if you are going to have sex with other people outside that relationship then there is a risk of bringing infections into that relationship.

“And it is important to make sure you talk about and go get a test before you stop using condoms,” said Dr Ashlea.

NOTE: It is important that if you decide to stop using condoms, but do not wish to fall pregnant, you should look at other methods of birth control. We recommend speaking to a doctor about this. 

f

"Get a test before you stop using condoms.”

Getty

How do you get an STI test?

You can opt for a swab that can detect chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas or herpes (depending on the infection). Or you can have a blood test for syphilis and HIV, as per the Clinical Labs website. 

Luckily, in Australia, STI testing is also free and completely confidential.

Clinical Labs points out that “due to the wide spectrum of STIs, there is no one test to detect them all.”

NOTE: For women, HPV testing is performed via PAP smears. The Australian Government website states all females 25 and above, or any female who is sexually active is eligible to receive a smear test. 

There is a lot of information to take in when it comes to STIs, but knowledge is the only way to armour yourself and protect your health. 

  • News
  • Life and Advice
  • Dolly Doctor
Faye Couros

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%

Recommended to you

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer
Watch 1:00

Sophie Monk drops another epic Love Island trailer

{headline}

{headline}

The Government has apologised for the crazy vaginal mesh scandal

The Government has apologised for the crazy vaginal mesh scandal

PSA: condoms are making a comeback people

PSA: condoms are making a comeback people

If you have this trait, you're apparently better at sex

If you have this trait, you're apparently better at sex

Birth control packs have been recalled after pills were placed out of order

Birth control packs have been recalled after pills were placed out of order

{headline}

{headline}

Tossing Up Whether To Get The IUD? Here's What The Docs Say

Tossing Up Whether To Get The IUD? Here's What The Docs Say

Here's What To Do When A Doctor Dismisses Your Problem, Cos You Deserve To Be Heard

Here's What To Do When A Doctor Dismisses Your Problem, Cos You Deserve To Be Heard

Here's one for the gals: The morning after pill can now be delivered to your door

Here's one for the gals: The morning after pill can now be delivered to your door

{headline}

{headline}

Why you should pee after sex

Why you should pee after sex

7 women reveal how long it takes them to orgasm

7 women reveal how long it takes them to orgasm

Couples with this piece of decor in their bedroom have less sex

Couples with this piece of decor in their bedroom have less sex

This is the reason you're not having sex

This is the reason you're not having sex

Here's how many women actually orgasm during sex

Here's how many women actually orgasm during sex

The one thing that will help your orgasms last up to 4 seconds longer

The one thing that will help your orgasms last up to 4 seconds longer

Women who practice this daily habit get fewer UTIs

Women who practice this daily habit get fewer UTIs

Girlfriend
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Practical Parenting
  • That’s Life
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • Airtasker
  • Society One
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Girlfriend

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35% -

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to our sister mag and save up to 35%