Sex doesn’t always happen in a bedroom. It could be at a friend’s place, outdoors, on holiday and at any time of day. It might take you by surprise, so be ready wherever you are.
It’s up to both you and your partner to think about safer sex, i.e. protecting against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy. As both of you want to have sex, you need to keep each other safe.
Talking about what kind of contraception you'll use and where you'll get condoms can help both of you to feel more prepared and in control.
If you're lesbian, gay or bisexual
Safer sex is important whoever you’re having sex with. Women can pass on STIs to women, and men can pass on STIs to men. Using a condom or dam (a thin, soft plastic square) to cover the genitals can reduce the risk of infection. Find out more about sexual health for women who have sex with women and men who have sex with men.
Why should I carry condoms?
They’re the only method of contraception that can help to protect you against both pregnancy and STIs. Anyone worth having sex with will respect your decision to carry them with you, and to use them.
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that carrying condoms makes you promiscuous. If anyone thinks that, that’s their problem. Don’t let it pressure you into unprotected sex.
Carrying condoms in your bag or pocket means that you’re mature enough to look after your and your own partner's health.
Where can I get condoms?
You can get condoms free from:
- sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics,
- community contraceptive clinics,
- some young people’s services,
- some GP surgeries, and
- some gay clubs and pubs.
Find your nearest clinic with the NHS Choices service search. Enter your postcode into the box, click Search, then click Contraception or Sexual health.
You can buy condoms online and from pharmacies and supermarkets, even if you’re under 16. Always buy condoms that have the CE mark on the packet. This means that they've been tested to high European safety standards. Condoms that don't have the CE mark won't meet these standards, so don't use them.
Condoms don't last forever
Make sure that any condom you use isn't past its expiry date, which is printed on the wrapper.
If you're having sex, change to a new condom after 30 minutes of sex because friction can weaken the condom, making it more likely to break or fail.
How to use condoms.
Other types of contraception
As well as carrying and using condoms, you can use another form of contraception to give you double protection against unintended pregnancy.
There are lots of different contraceptive methods, including longer-lasting ones that you don’t have to think about every day or each time you have sex. These are the contraceptive injection, implant, IUS and IUD.
Other methods include the contraceptive patch (every week) and the contraceptive pill (every day).
Read a guide to contraceptive methods to learn about the different types and where you can get them.
Keeping safe if you're going out
Another important way of keeping safe when you’re out and about is to stick with your friends or your partner, and to look out for each other.
If you decide to drink alcohol, remember that it can affect the way you behave and make you more likely to take risks, including having unprotected sex. This will put you at risk of pregnancy and STIs.
In order to avoid the risk of your drink being spiked with drugs, don’t accept drinks from strangers or leave your drink unattended. Make sure that you know how you’re getting home. Travel home with friends if you can, and carry the telephone number of a taxi firm with you.
