Reader’s Request Fridays: Sexual Risk
Welcome to Reader’s Request Fridays. As a reminder, I’ll be addressing one reader email per week, so if you have a specific question you’d like answered or a topic you’d like covered, please email me. If you’re interested in counseling, call (415) 658-5738 or visit my Appointments page to schedule a consultation.
Today I’m finishing my comprehensive wrap-up of Karen’s question from a few weeks ago!
For my final post on this subject, I’m tacking sexual risk.
Most sexual behavior is risky. There’s always the chance of getting an STI, causing harm to your body, or getting pregnant.
Risk isn’t limited to just sex of course. It’s around us all day every day – from crossing the street, to driving our cars, to eating sushi.
Risk can’t be completely avoided, but you can help yourself make educated decisions to minimize risk.
No risk
Holding hands
Cuddling
Massaging
Giving/getting a hickey
Kissing or touching breasts
Phone sex
Spanking
Masturbation
Very low risk
Fingering a woman’s genitals
Hand jobs
Dry humping with clothes on
Kissing
French kissing
Light bondage
Mutual masturbation
Ejaculating away from mouth, genitals, or anus
Using clean sex toys, without sharing
Prostate massage
Medium risk
Rimming
Fisting
Protected (condom) vaginal sex
Protected anal sex
Unprotected (no condom) vaginal sex for men
High risk
Sharing sex toys
Unprotected oral sex
Unprotected vaginal sex for women (it’s an unfair reality that unprotected sex is more risky for women than it is for men!)
Unprotected anal sex
Unprotected threesome or orgy
Blood play
Feces/urination play