Young people are growing up unaware of the safe sex warnings which accompanied Aids awareness campaigns in the 1980s and cases of sexually transmitted diseases are rising as a result. The latest figures from the Public Health Laboratory indicate one in ten teenagers is affected with a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI's).

What should you do?

Don't ever be forced into anything that is not right for you

Having sex with a person should be with the consent of both parties. It is important that there is enough trust and respect, to protect each other against Sexually STI's unwanted pregnancies, which both partners understand and take responsibility for contraception and having safe sex.

In England , there are nearly 90,000 conceptions a year to teenagers; around 7,700 to girls under 16 and 2,200 to girls 14 or under. Roughly three-fifths of conceptions (5,600) result in live births. Although more than two thirds of under 16's do not have sex and most teenage girls reach their twenties without getting pregnant, the UK has teenage birth rates which are twice as high as Germany, three times as high as in France and six times as high as in the Netherlands .

There are many forms of contraception available which can help you and your partner prevent pregnancy. Condoms are the only effective contraception which will reduce the risk of catching STI's. There are lots of myths about how good or bad condoms are. If they're used correctly, condoms are about 94% - 97% effective at preventing pregnancy and they're nearly 100% effective at preventing transmission of HIV. They won't help against crabs, though, and some sexually transmitted infections (like herpes) can be caught through oral sex with someone who is infected, so you need to use condoms for this, too.

The only way to avoid an STI's is to avoid contact with your partner's body fluids.

If you or you partner has had unsafe sex with any other partners you are both at high risk of HIV, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, genital warts and many other Sexually Transmissible Disease's. Even if you engage only in sex play with your partner without actuality having intercourse with them, you are still at risk of catching some STI's, such as herpes, lice (crabs), and Hepatitis.

It's easy to think that STI's are something for other people to worry about - gay people, drug users, people who sleep around. This is wrong everyone, whoever they are, wherever they live need to take the threat of STI's seriously. To be able to protect yourself, you need to know the facts, and know how to avoid becoming infected.

There are high risk sexual activities & lower risk sexual activities. It's always better to stay lower than higher risk as far as safe sex is concerned...

High-risk sexual activities

• Vaginal intercourse without a condom.
• Anal intercourse with or without a condom.
• Oral sex.
• Any sexual activity that causes bleeding - either accidentally or on purpose, such as scratching, for instance.
• Sharing sex aids.
• Inserting fingers into the vagina or anus.

When making love it is essential that you always use a condom. Wear a pair of Swanky or Spanky Pants and you'll be ready when lovemaking begins.

It's a sign of respect for your partner that you are willing to use a condom. Never give in to suggestions that you have sex without a condom.

Lower Risk Sexual activities

• Vaginal sexual intercourse, using a condom. Condoms can break or tear and are not 100% reliable. If you are uncertain about having sex, wait until you feel more confident.
• Love bites. Love bites can cause blood to seep into a partner's mouth, passing infection if there are abrasions in a partner's gums.
• Mouth to mouth kissing, especially if either partner has cuts in the mouth or bleeding gums.
• Oral sex using a condom. If you receive oral sex, always use a condom. Fruit flavoured condoms can make this a more pleasant, and fun, experience. If you give oral sex, use a barrier, placed over the vulva, to prevent infection.

The only way to totally avoid the risks is abstinence but make sure that you're not one of the statistics and use a CONDOM.