February..the month of holidays!

February is a holiday that is known for its recognition of love, but most don’t know that it is a month that acknowledges affection of all sorts. Along with Valentine’s Day February is National Teen Dating Violence month and National Condom Month. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is a national effort to raise awareness about abuse in youth relationships and offer safe strategies for community response. This month we are joining with thousands of people around this country who are working to reduce the prevalence of dating violence, collaborate to promote healthier relationships for youth, and support integrated service models such as the work of adolescent health, pregnancy prevention, and domestic violence programs. Staggering statistics illustrate that we all need to do more to create safe environments for young people to discuss their experiences, to raise awareness about the National Dating Abuse Helpline as well as promote comprehensive community-based services. Unfortunately, 1 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 7 men who ever experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, first experienced some form of relationship violence between 11 and 17 years of age. Unfortunately, most teens don’t seek help. In 2010, local domestic violence programs supported through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) provided services to 13,843 youth victims of dating violence through shelter, counseling, and advocacy services, and that is just to those who came forward. In addition, those programs reached over 1.9 million youth through training and public awareness programs. Please use this month as an opportunity to build your knowledge, strengthen partnerships and reflect on ways your agency can connect the young people in your programs with dating violence resources and support. There is free support online at www.loveisrespect.org. During National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month -- and throughout the year -- let each of us resolve to do our part to break the silence and create a culture of healthy relationships for all our young people. -President Barack Obama, February 2012 Going along with the theme of health and safety of at risk youth and sexually active adolescents, February is National Condom Month; The American Social Health Association (ASHA) wants everyone to be safe as Cupid’s arrows take flight, so each year we recognize February as National Condom Month. In the U.S. there are approximately 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI) annually, about half of which occur among youth ages 15-24. STIs often lack noticeable symptoms and can be contracted from partners who don’t have a clue they have an infection. And they can be contracted through sexual assault and abuse. Untreated STIs can cause a host of medical complications, including infertility. Research overwhelmingly shows the value of condoms in reducing transmission risks with a host of STIs, including HIV and Chlamydia. Also, condom use is linked with lower rates of HPV infection and cervical cancer among women, and pregnancy. Lynn Barclay, ASHA president and CEO, says safer sex is often overlooked because people don’t think they’re at risk: "We think we’re ok because we only have a few partners or because STI’s only happen to others. Anyone who has sex is at risk.” Barclay says it’s important to take charge of your sexual health: “We all make choices, and using condoms is one of the smartest things we can do.” There may be pressure to have unprotected sex “just this once,” she says. Barclay adds that female condoms are an excellent alternative when a male partner can’t or won’t use a condom. Below are some tips of how to properly use a condom. Male Condoms: • Hold the condom by the tip to squeeze out the air. • Leave some space at the tip to hold the ejaculate (cum). • Unroll the condom all the way over the erect penis. • If you put the condom on and start to unroll it the wrong way, don't flip it over and put it on again. Throw the condom out and start again with a new condom. • After sex, the man should hold the condom at the rim and pull out slowly while the penis is still hard. • Use a new condom if you want to have sex again or if you want to have sex in a different place (for example, in the anus and then in the vagina). How to use a female condom The female condom is a pouch that fits inside a woman's vagina. It has a soft ring on each end. The outer ring stays on the outside of the vagina and partly covers the labia (lips). The inner ring fits on the inside of the vagina, somewhat like a diaphragm, to hold the condom in place. The female condom should be inserted before the penis touches the vagina. It can be inserted anywhere from immediately before to up to 8 hours prior to intercourse--allowing time to plan ahead. Another advantage of the female condom--it stays in place whether or not a male partner maintains an erection. To start, add lubricant to the outside of the condom. To insert the condom, squeeze the inner ring of the condom and put the inner ring and pouch inside the vagina. With your finger, push the inner ring as far into the vagina as it will go. The outer ring stays outside the vagina. Guide the penis into the condom, taking care that the penis is inserted into the condom and doesn't push the condom aside. After intercourse, the condom should be removed before standing up. Pull out the condom gently, making sure not to spill the content. Resources: 1. Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families, 2012. www.loveisrespect.org .February 10, 2012. 2. American Social Health Association. National Condom Month, 2012. February 10, 2012.