Abstinence

What is this Abstinence situation?

Abstinence is the choice not to have oral, vaginal or anal sex.

Basically, you’re choosing not to do the things which put you at most risk for getting pregnant or for contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

What’s in it for me?

Simple.  You choose not to engage in risky behavior and you get a 100% guarantee that you will not have to stress about having a baby or getting an STI.

Can I still Masturbate?

Of course!  Abstinence doesn’t mean that you have to shut down all your sexual urges, it just means you’re avoiding doing those things that’ll put you at risk.

The only things you can’t do are:*

• Anal Sex (Penis in Anus)
  
• Vaginal Sex (Penis in Vagina)
  
• Oral Sex (Mouth to Vulva, Penis or Anus)

This means that not only can you still masturbate, but you and your partner can still make-out, dry-hump, hold hands, etc.

*It’s also a good idea to make sure that naked genitals don’t touch other naked genitals, as that can spread certain STIs.

But once I get started, it’s hard for me to stop …

Yup. We understand that for some people, that is a reality.  If that’s your situation, you may want to take Abstinence further and not do anything that gets you sexually excited.

If that’s not realistic for you either, check out the pages on Condoms, Hormonal Birth Control and Emergency Contraception to learn more about keeping yourself safe during risky sexual behavior.

Do I need to be a virgin to choose abstinence?

Nope!  If you’ve already had sex, it’s never too late to choose abstinence.