City College will be hosting Sexual Health Week from Feb. 3 through 7, providing students with education on sexual issues and the opportunity to get tested.
All events will take place in The Well, which is located in East Campus Center Room 21. The Well is commonly known as a safe space for all students, making it the perfect spot to host an event dedicated to exploring sexual issues, sex positivity and sexual health with the hope of fostering an open and inclusive diologue across campus.
“Taking care of your sexual health is a priority,” said Becky Bean, student program advisor at The Well. “We really just want people to feel empowered around their sexual health and that they have a voice and have the support services that they deserve.”
Along with empowerment, Sexual Health Week will also provide opportunities for birth control education and STI testing on campus.
Testing will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at The Well, and results will be given Friday, Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m..
All students are encouraged to take advantage of testing, regardless of their health insurance situations, as most students will qualify for free testing. Treatment will also be provided on the spot if necessary.
While it is an important resource, getting tested won’t be the only service offered during Sexual Health Week. The Well will be hosting a Birth Control 101 presentation, in partnership with experts from UC San Francisco from noon to 1:30 p.m on Thursday, Feb 6.
The experts will be available to answer questions regarding birth control methods and safe sex, and free lunch will be provided.
“This is something we really want as many students to hear about,” Bean said. “We want to break the stigma on mental health differences but also about the need for getting tested.”
Sexuality is a common aspect of college life where many students are sexually active, but getting tested is often overlooked.
According to the County Health Department 85% of people in Santa Barbara County that were diagnosed with chlamydia and 70% of those diagnosed with gonorrhea were under the age of 30.
“We want to incentivise taking care of your health, empowering all of us to make sure we are doing this on a regular basis,” Bean said. “We want that week to be about empowerment and creating a dialogue and creating a safe space for students to know that they can get sexual health support when they need it.”
To encourage students to take advantage of the testing, all students who return for their results will receive a $10 gift card to the campus bookstore, in addition to a WELL Gift Bag.
For more information on Sexual Health Week students can visit The Well in the East Campus Center Room 21 or visit The Well’s website.
