Health guide
Sexual Health and Casual Sex: Condoms, Tests and Consent
The grown-up bit, kept short and without the lecture, so you can get back to the fun part.
How do you stay sexually healthy with casual sex?
Use condoms, get tested when you have sex with someone new and talk about both before you meet. NHS sexual health clinics are free for everyone, whatever your age, gender, ethnicity or sexuality, the NHS says, and so are its STI tests. In Scotland, NHS inform says condoms, STI testing, PrEP and PEP are all free of charge.
Casual sex and good sexual health sit together perfectly well. Get A Shag is for adults only (18+), and every medical or legal point below says where it comes from: the NHS, NHS inform or the law itself.
Free condoms: where to pick them up
Free condoms are handed out at sexual health clinics, the NHS says, and at some GP surgeries and pharmacies. A sign for a family planning or contraception clinic means the same place. Take more than you think you need and stash a few in your bag and your coat, because good intentions are no use when the condoms are in a drawer at home.
Bring your own to a meet rather than counting on theirs, and settle the question in your messages, before anyone's clothes come off. Condom split? Act fast: the NHS points you to a pharmacist, a sexual health clinic, a GP or 111 for urgent help.
STI tests: when to go and where
The NHS suggests a trip to a sexual health clinic when you are having sex with someone new, and it adds a blunt reminder: "Many STIs have no symptoms." Feeling fine and being clear are not the same thing.
Timing matters too. According to the NHS, an STI can take up to 7 weeks after unprotected sex to show on a test, so ask the clinic when the right time to come in is.
Sexual health clinics
The NHS lists STI and HIV testing, contraception, PrEP and PEP among what they offer, and its website has a postcode finder for clinics in England.
GPs and pharmacies
Some GP surgeries and some pharmacies offer STI tests as well, the NHS says. Tests are free, though you may have to pay for prescriptions for treatment.
Home testing kits
According to the NHS, some clinics offer home testing kits for some STIs, so ask your local one.
No real name needed
The NHS says you don't have to give your real name to get tested.
A helpline for questions
The NHS lists a sexual health helpline on 0300 123 7123.
PrEP and PEP: extra protection against HIV
Both sit in the NHS's advice on preventing HIV. According to the NHS, PrEP is free from sexual health clinics. It usually comes as tablets, though some people may need an injection instead.
PEP is the one with a deadline. The NHS says it is for exposure to HIV in the last 72 hours, and you can get it from sexual health clinics and A&E. If a condom split or you went without and HIV is a worry, don't wait to see how you feel.
Consent: what the law says, and what it looks like at 1am
The law in England and Wales, the Sexual Offences Act 2003, treats someone as consenting when they agree by choice, with the freedom and capacity to make it. Scotland's Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 keeps it shorter: consent means freely given agreement.
Out of the statute book and into the bedroom, a yes worth having is:
- Keen. Said clearly and gladly, not squeezed out on the fifth ask.
- Ongoing. It covers what you are doing now, not everything that might come next, so check in as things change.
- Reversible. Either of you can change your mind at any point, even halfway through, and the other one stops.
Drink makes all of that harder. If either of you is too far gone to know what you are agreeing to, put the condoms back in the drawer and pick it up another night.
How to bring it up without killing the mood
Do it in the messages, before you meet, while it is easy to keep things light. Get A Shag is built for casual sex, so a line about condoms or testing reads as someone who knows what they are doing, which is attractive in itself.
- "Condoms every time for me. That work for you?"
- "Tested last month, all clear. When was yours?"
- "I'll bring the condoms, you pick the bar."
If someone gets cagey, or pushes back on condoms, that tells you something useful before you have even met. Our guide to meeting a hook-up safely covers the rest of the plan.
Help after sexual assault, day or night
If you are in danger right now, call the police on 999. When you are ready, these services can help.
- Rape Crisis England & Wales
- Its 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line is on 0808 500 2222, with online chat as well. It is free of charge and open to anyone 16 or over in England and Wales.
- Rape Crisis Scotland
- The helpline is 08088 01 03 02, any day from 5pm to midnight, or text 07537 410 027. It supports people of all genders living in Scotland.
- Sexual assault referral centres
- The NHS says these centres, known as SARCs, offer medical, practical and emotional support, and that reporting the assault to the police is up to you. The NHS website can find your nearest one.
You can also report the member from inside Get A Shag, and staff are on hand by chat and messaging around the clock. Nothing has to be decided tonight, and talking to someone is a good first step. For everything the site does to protect members, see the safety page.
Sexual health questions people ask
Where can I get free condoms in the UK?
The NHS says sexual health clinics hand out free condoms, and so do some GP surgeries and pharmacies. In Scotland, NHS inform lists condoms among the sexual health services that are free of charge.
How long after sex should I get an STI test?
Give it time: the NHS says it can take up to 7 weeks after unprotected sex for an STI to show on a test, and many cause no symptoms at all. Ask a sexual health clinic when to come in; you don't need to give your real name.
Are sexual health clinics free?
Yes. According to the NHS, the clinics are free and open to all, and STI tests cost nothing either, although you may have to pay for prescriptions for treatment. NHS inform says the same services are free of charge in Scotland.
What should I do if a condom splits?
Act quickly. The NHS says to get urgent help, from a GP, a pharmacist, 111 or a sexual health clinic. If HIV is a worry, ask about PEP, which the NHS says is for exposure in the last 72 hours.
What counts as consent?
In England and Wales, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 asks whether the person agreed by choice, with the freedom and capacity to make that choice. Scotland's Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 says consent means freely given agreement. In practice, look for a clear yes, keep checking as things change, and stop the moment either of you wants to.
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