The Wake

Dear SHADEy,
My girlfriend is on the pill but still gets anxious when I cum. What can I do?
Frustrated in Fridley

This question was sent to “Ask SHADEy,” a column found on the Sexual Health Disease and Education (SHADE)’s Web site. SHADE is a student organization at the university that promotes student sexual heath by answering difficult questions and handing out free condoms in residence halls and Greek houses. They also work out of their mobile unit, the notorious “Shaggin’ Wagon.”

Sexually active college students risk contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and many other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, genital warts, chlamydia and gonorrhea, according to a survey conducted by the Center for AIDS Intervention Research.

The study concentrates on a college student’s perception of risk for getting HIV. Students often overestimate the risk of the general population’s likelihood to contract the virus, but they more often underestimate their own risk, according to the article. The researchers refer to this as “a sense of ‘unique invulnerability.’”

Of course, the best prevention against STDs is abstinence, but the second line of defense is using a condom and using it properly, says Dave Dorman, Sexual Health Educator at Boynton Health Service.

“I equate condoms with seat belts,” Dorman, faculty advisor for SHADE, said. “They reduce the risk, but they can’t eliminate it.”

The rate of HIV infection among college students is about one in 500. This is lower than the infection rate of the general public, which is one in 250. The reason for the lower rate among college students is largely because college students tend to be fairly middle class and HIV infection is often linked with lower economic status. The risk of contracting another STD is much higher than the risk of HIV infection, Dorman said.

However, many students might feel uncomfortable going to their family doctor for such tests. For students seeking more privacy, Boynton provides free STD testing. Students can also receive treatment through Boynton.

Also, North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale has the highest rate of STD testing in Minnesota. In addition, peer educators at Boynton provide counseling for those with STDs, HIV and AIDS.

Despite all these available resources, a recent University of Northern Illinois study still found that 43 percent of men surveyed didn’t know how to use a condom correctly. It is still possible to get an STD, like herpes and genital warts, just from skin-to-skin contact, Dorman said.

Many students still believe that as long as they use the pill form of birth control, they don’t need a condom. Monogamy used to be touted as an STD protection, but many times students are serially monogamous, having sex with only one person at a time and several partners overall, Dorman said.

“You’re not ‘dirty’ if you have an STD,” said Anna Kruchowski, student coordinator for SHADE. “There’s so much stigma around getting STD tested.”

A peer group is a more approachable alternative information source and is often less embarrassing than trying to discuss an STD with a doctor. Overall, students find working with SHADE very rewarding, Kruchowski said.

SHADE meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. at Boynton and asks its members to attend one meeting a week. Additionally, the group sets up programs in residence halls and Greek houses.

These workshops often feature films that spark discussions about sexuality, along with a question-and-answer session. Kruchowski finds working with Greek houses most worthwhile because they are often more open to discussing sexuality.

Often, SHADE members find it difficult to reach off-campus students, athletic teams and students that engage in high-risk sexual activity like casual or anal sex, Kruchowski said.

“People tend to separate themselves from the risk,” she said.