6 Affection without sex? - Alternatives to sexual intercourse

School Health Education to Prevent AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) : Teachers' Guide (UNESCO - WHO, 1994, 117 p.)

Unit 2. Responsible behaviour: delaying sex

		(introduction...)
		1 Reasons to say NO - Reasons for delaying sex
		2 To delay or not to delay (a, b) - Case Study - Reasons for and against sex
		3 “Lines” and more “lines” - Pressure to have sex
		4 Guidelines: help to delay sex - Help for delaying sex
		5 What to do? - Case studies on sex for delaying sex
		6 Affection without sex? - Alternatives to sexual intercourse
		7 What’s next? - Ranking physical activities
		8 Am I assertive? - Definition of passive, aggressive, and assertive behaviours
		9 Who’s assertive? - Case studies - types of behaviours
		10 Assertive messages - Four steps to assertive behaviour
		11 Your assertive message (class) - Four steps to assertive behaviour
		12 Your assertive message (individual) - Four steps to assertive behaviour
		13 Responding to persuasion (demonstration) - How to refuse, delay, bargain
		14 Responding to persuasion (class activity) - How to refuse, delay, bargain
		15 Responding to persuasion (individual) - How to refuse, delay, bargain
		16 You decide - Activity on gender differences
		17 Dealing with threats and violence - Case study on violence in dating
		18 Being assertive every day - Take-home activity on being assertive

CONTINUE?

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6 Affection without sex? - Alternatives to sexual intercourse

Purpose

It is unreasonable to expect young people not to show affection (both physical and emotional) during this stage of their lives. It is important to provide alternative activities for those who wish to delay sex.

What the teacher does

Special concern:

· Students may suggest some physical activities during this exercise that may be difficult to talk about, i.e. oral sex, masturbation, petting with or without clothes, body rubbing with or without clothes.

· Be prepared to use local slang with the students.

1. Decide how to teach this strategy.

a) Form pairs or small groups in the classroom and provide each pair/group with one activity sheet.
b) Draw the activity on the board and have students work in pairs or small groups to complete the task.

2. Look at ways of showing affection.

Ask the students to look at the list of ways of showing affection shown in the first heart. Then have them discuss in pairs or small groups other ways of showing affection. Their suggestions may be written on the blackboard and the class may discuss together whether or not they are safe and acceptable (i.e. do not put a person at risk for HIV/AIDS/STD). When agreement has been reached on this, the students may write in the second heart their preferred suggestions for ways of showing affection without sex. You might expect some of the more physical affections to include: touch on the shoulder; kissing; open-mouth kissing; petting while clothed (above and below the waist); mutual masturbation; body-to-body rubbing (clothed and without clothing); oral sex, etc. Students may use quite a different language in trying to express these physical affections.

3. Ask the following questions:

a) Why is it important for young people to show affection without sex?
It is important because it: promotes healthy communication; reduces the chance of HIV/STD; reduces the risk of pregnancy; promotes respect for self and partner; reduces the risk of unwanted sex; provides acceptance, warmth and touch to another person and yourself.
b) Is it important to discuss this topic with a partner? Why or why not?
Yes, but it might cause embarrassment or it might end a relationship.
c) What would make it easier to discuss this with a partner?
If there was respect, trust and openness in both people; if it was discussed before being in an emotional and sexual situation.