Condom/safer sex Fatigue

topic posted Tue, May 6, 2008 - 10:13 PM by  Ms. Fill in ...
I was wondering if you all had suggestions about what one could prevent or approach new Ideas to help people with Condom/safer sex Fatigue?
I do a sexual health group at my job, so I try to give my clients positive views about sex, and also use a harm reduction approach on both sex and drug use. I have not really talked much about safer sex yet, because I feel it has been shoved down people’s throats. But I have been defiantly hearing about condom/safer sex Fatigue. When reading some of the treads in this tribe I have also been hearing it hear. So what do we/I do to help to support/empower people to try and be as safe as they can in the population I work with? Any suggestions?
  • WOW - that's an incredibly perfect question and topic for this tribe. Thank you.
    I wish I could offer some brilliant suggestions, but I can't, and I would really like to hear what anyone has to say, as I'm sure many other other people would.

    Please people, let us know what *you* do!
  • I'm not sure what you mean by safer sex fatigue, but i'm going to guess it's something along the lines of not being able to stay aroused? If this is what you're referring to, the one suggestion I offer folks I work with is to masturbate with a condom on (I mainly only work with male bodied men, but one could be creative for different body types and come up with similar suggestions). Additionally, not only using a condom while masturbating, but different TYPES can be helpful to determine what your preference is.

    If this isn't what you're talking about, my apologies, just let me know. Otherwise I hope that helps and I'm curious to see what others have to offer.
    • Actually, that could be what she means - but my take on it was the way practicing safer sex every time could take some of the passion out of the bed...


      Hmmm.

      Well, what is it?
      • No actually ,that's not it.
        I mean when people who have been doing what is consiter "safer sex: condoms, dental dams, etc" to help reduce the risk of HIV and other STD's, hep. When HIV/AIDS first hit SF, there was this big push for safer sex. There were posters, shirts, safer sex sluts, stuff like that .
        Well many years later, some of these people who were using condoms/safer sex stuff, are now putting themselves at risk, because they are having some burnt out, because they have had ; "use condoms , besafe," stuff like this shoved down there throats.
        Actually its more that the people who were around when it first hit. I think Gays/MSM's/IDU get it shove down there throat a lot.

        So I try not to do it as much, but there has to be something to keep people engaged in keeping themselves safe!
        I know it is so much more that just saying hey , its safer for you if you use condoms and sexual disclosure. There is alot of shame and when it comes to HIV/STDS , sex . So much goes into who we are in the world. Our family, culture, peers, maybe someone grew up in a sex Neg enviroment, internal homophobia, internal racism, some trama . That has made us not feel good or comfident about ourselves. Then if we are also self medicating on top of that....
        Sorry I just got home from work, I need to get off my soap box.
        Well I hope I explained it right, even if I did not spell everything right lol
        • oi thats a new one for me. i'm not sure what to offer, except that the harm reduction coalition is probably a good resource for that sort of stuff. i don't know that anything unique needs to be done, just the same stuff that is proven to work in other arenas....hmmmmm......i'll be thinking about that for a few days