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Sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or ability. Sexual assault is a crime under Canadian law. People respond differently to a sexual assault. Emotions that you might experience include...

If this is a concern for you, feel free to chat with us or ask a question through this website. Common Concerns Notifying sex partners about a positive STI: The BC Centre for Disease Control, and public health nurses in each Health...

Home pregnancy tests can be bought at a drug store. You can also go to your health care provider or a clinic to get a pregnancy test. If you are pregnant and not sure what to do, it can help to talk to someone about your options. What is...

How does it work? The INSTI® HIV Self-Test is an HIV antibody test which detects antibodies produced in response to HIV. Antibodies to HIV can take time to develop after an exposure. It can take 3 to 12 weeks for this test to detect...

Causes HIV is passed through vaginal and anal sexual contact.  This includes both penetrative sex and sexual activities where there is an exchange of body fluids.  There is a very low chance that HIV may be passed through oral...

Safer Sex Being trans can sometimes mean there is already a lot to talk about with new sexual partners without adding on safer sex.  But talking about protection and STI testing is an important way to lower your chances of STIs. With...

There are many types of birth control to choose from and it is important to find the method that works best for you. Most methods of birth control do not prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms can lower the chances of...

If you have any sexual concerns, health care providers can give you information and support.  They may not bring up the topic of sexual health, but most providers are usually open to talking about it. They can rule out...

Here are ten tips that will help make these conversations relevant and comfortable for all involved. These tips have been generously provided by Jennifer Gibson, Community Education Services Coordinator with Island Sexual Health.  Want to...

Sometimes mental health can affect the decisions we make about sex, for example, choosing to have sex when we feel lonely or anxious. Sexual health concerns and diagnoses can also lead us to feel worried, anxious, sad, or even hopeless. If...

Sexual assault is any kind of sexual act that you did not consent to. This can include everything from unwanted kissing, to groping, to forced oral, vaginal or anal penetration. It may include physical violence or not. Sometimes...

If you are worried that you might be pregnant, here are some things that you can do: See a health care provider If you had sex without a condom or the condom broke, and you are worried about pregnancy, see your health care provider as...

Blacking out can happen when a person drinks too much alcohol, does certain drugs, or combines drugs and alcohol. In some situations, you may have voluntarily taken drugs or drank a lot and ended up hooking up with someone. In this case,...

SmartSexResource is a service provided by the Clinical Prevention Services Division at the BC Centre for Disease Control, as part of the Provincial Health Services Authority. This Division provides leadership  for the treatment and...

Introduction The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), is pleased to provide and support the SmartSexResource website (the “Site”) as an online...

HIV - A reportable infection HIV is a reportable infection. This means that if an HIV test is positive, the result is reported to public health so that staff can provide support to the person and keep track of the number of new HIV...

Any information shared with a health care provider is confidential, including test results. When you go for STI testing, you may be asked for personal information such as your name, birth date, Medical Services Plan (BC Care Card) number,...

What is PrEP PrEP stands for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis. It is the use of daily antiretroviral therapy (ART) by HIV negative individuals to lower their chances of getting HIV. PrEP refers to the ongoing use of ART before and after possible...

This 18-page colour booklet was developed to support health care providers giving herpes diagnoses to patients. It focuses on understanding emotional reactions to a herpes diagnosis and talking to patients about herpes using non-...

What is PrEP PrEP stands for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis. It is the use of daily (or on demand) oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) by HIV negative individuals to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV. PrEP refers to ongoing use of ART before and...