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These top tips are from people who have completed the test kit in the past.
We will keep your information confidential. We will not tell anyone what you tell us except if we think that you or someone else is at risk of serious harm and that telling someone could prevent or stop this harm. In this situation we will not share your information without telling you first.
This story is an example of this:
Jay, 17, ordered a sexual health test because she had sex at her uncles house last week. She went to visit her uncle one afternoon and he had some friends round. They made her welcome and offered her vodka and snacks. She had a few drinks and remembers dancing with him and his friends. She does not remember much after that but woke up a couple of hours later on the sofa in her underwear only. She doesn’t know what happened. Her uncle was asleep in his room. She left the house and went home but was too embarrassed to tell her parents. She is upset, but tries not to think about it. She hasn’t been able to concentrate at school since it happens. She has avoided her friends and stays at home as much as possible.
Jay is upset about what happened, she is worried about pregnancy and infection. She feels angry that someone took advantage of her and she does not know what will happen if she sees her uncle again. He comes round the house regularly and she has a younger sister who is 15 who is also at home.
So, in this situation we would talk through what happened through with Jay, find out what we can do to help. Does she need to talk through what happened to her with a counsellor or support worker or school nurse? How can we help her to get the emergency contraception or pregnancy test that she needs (we can help with the sexual health screen). How can we make sure that this does not happen again and that a similar thing does not happen to her sister?
These things might involve sharing her information with a support worker or sexual health nurse. It may involve telling social services so that they can investigate what Jay’s uncle and his friends are doing and find out if there are other young people at risk.
This is the sort of situation where we might need to share confidential data. It is because Jay’s health and the health of her sister and possibly others is at risk.
If you are over 18, but are worried about people finding out that you have been tested, you can still rely on us for complete confidence.
We will only tell someone else what you have told us if we think you are not sure about making a decision by yourself, or if we think you are at risk of harm. We would talk to you about this before we contacted anyone else.
SH:24 have joined up with SXT to offer anonymous partner notification by text message.
If you test positive for an STI it’s important that you contact your recent sexual partner(s) so they can get tested too – for the sake of their health and those who they have sexual relations with in the future. SXT’s partner notification tool anonymously informs your recent sexual partners that they should take an STI test. If you test with SH:24 and return a positive STI result, SXT will send you a text message and offer you the opportunity to contact your recent sexual partners to let them know that they should get tested. Partner notification is completely anonymous - meaning your recent partners will not know who raised the notification. Even if you are comfortable with telling your partner(s) face to face it’s recommended that you use the SXT tool to help your partner access the correct testing and treatment at the clinic.
If you are worried about a situation where you have felt unsure about having sex, read on to find out where you can get more support.
Nobody should be forced to have sex if they don’t want to. If you don’t want to have sex, even with a regular partner, you have the right to say no.
If your partner doesn’t want to have sex but you do, you should respect their choice.
You should never feel pressured into having sex. ‘Pressure’ might mean:
If any of these things have happened to you there are people you can talk to about your relationship. If you’re ever worried about sex, you don’t have to deal with it alone.
Text and webchat service giving sexualhealth information, support and signpostingfor people under 25 in the UK. | |
Confidential service for people up to theage of 19. You can contact a ChildLinecounsellor about anything. |
Being paid for sex doesn’t just mean being given money, it could be something like gifts, drugs, alcohol or protection in exchange for sex.
Having sex in return for something may mean you are not in a safe situation, even if you think you are in control of what’s happening. It is more likely that the person ‘paying’ you is in control.
If you have questions about your situation or want to talk to someone, there are services for young people in Lambeth and Southwark that could help you. If you feel like you’re stuck and need help to get out of a difficult situation, there are lots of people who can support you.
Text and webchat service giving sexual health information, support and signposting for people under 25 in the UK. | |
Confidential service for people up to the age of 19. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor about anything. |
Drugs and alcohol can lead you (or your partner) to do things that you might not have done otherwise, or that you might not want to do. You might find yourself in a situation that is beyond your control, or where you are unable to make clear decisions about sex.
Your partner or people who you are with might be more likely to put you under pressure to have sex if they have been using alcohol or drugs.
There are lots of places you can get more information about alcohol and drugs. You don’t have to talk to someone if you don’t want to. You can read information online, or make a confidential phone call.
Whatever you choose, it’s good to be informed so that you can keep yourself safe.
Friendly and confidential drug advice. |
Many young people suffer from feeling down or depressed. This can make it harder to make safe decisions about sex.
Some young people might try to harm themselves because they feel down, and might find it harder to say ‘no’ to sex because they don’t feel good about themselves.
There are lots of places where you can get support, and help to understand what’s going on. This is often the first step to feeling better.
You might just want to find out a bit more about depression or low self-esteem before talking to someone, or perhaps you want to help a friend.
Here are some places that have information you can read online, and people you can talk to if you want to speak to someone in person.
Charity committed to improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people. | |
Confidential service for people up to the age of 19. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor about anything. | |
Forum providing crisis support, information and resources, advice, discussions and distractions. It is closely monitored and available 24/7. | |
Exists to give young people hope and to prevent young suicide. |