Consent must be given freely, willingly and enthusiastically. There is a graphic called FRIES to help us remember that consent needs to be Freely Given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific. 

 

So, the Reversible bit means that you can say NO at any point – beginning, middle or end, and expect the other person to stop and treat you respectfully. It doesn’t matter if you have had sex with the person before, it doesn’t matter what your relationship is – if you change your mind at any point and the other person does not stop then it is rape/sexual assault. 

 

If you want to change your mind you can state very clearly that you are not consenting and ask them to stop. Tell them that they are breaking the law if they continue. If you feel unsafe you can also call 000. 

 

If you’ve been sexually assaulted, it’s not something you have to cope with on your own. Here are some things you can do straight away. 

 

Ensure that you're safe 

If you’re in danger, or you’re worried about your safety, contact emergency services on 000 immediately and try to get to somewhere safe. 

 

Talk to someone 

Find someone you feel you can talk to about it, such as a friend, family member, counsellor, school nurse or youth worker. 

 

In Cairns we have True Child & Family Service, you can phone them on 4281 6893 or visit at 216 Draper St Parramatta Park - they provide counselling and support to young people.  

 

You can also call Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 or 1800RESPECT at any time or use their webchat. 

 

Get medical help 

If you’ve been sexually assaulted, it's possible to get medical support. You could go to a hospital or health centre where they can give you appropriate medical care.  

 

Trust yourself 

If someone has assaulted you, you may not feel confident about what to do next. Trust your instincts. Remember that it’s never okay for someone to assault you for any reason. 

 

Bonnie 

This is a very personal decision for the girl to make, Not all girls shave/ wax their pubes. If this is something that you are considering, shaving or waxing the pubic area (for males and females) can result in infections, ingrown hairs and irritation.  Growing pubic hair is a normal and natural thing that your body will do as you mature and should not be seen as disgusting or gross if one chooses to shave it off or not.

I think this is a really good question that shows courage and also a lot of maturity.  Although this might be a really difficult conversation to have – not just for you but also for your mum, I’m sure your mum would appreciate being included in the discussion rather than finding an empty pill packet in your room.  If you talk about this with your mum you are showing that you have thought about safe sex, possible repercussions and also responsible ways to prevent unplanned pregnancy.  It’s important to remember that the pill/implanon only prevents pregnancy and does not protect against STI’s.   If your mum is aware that you have been in a relationship for a while she might be anticipating that this conversation would come up at sometime but here are some helpful tips... Find a time when ma isn’t preoccupied so you can sit down (privately) and chat.  Think about how you could bring it up.  Be prepared to be asked some uncomfortable questions (when did you start having sex?) and try to be honest and calm.

When girls and boys reach puberty, their bodies start to change and become more mature. From this time, if a male and a female have sexual intercourse, it is possible that the girl could get pregnant. When a male ejaculates sperm from the penis during sexual intercourse, they swim up the vagina through the cervix, into the uterus and then into the fallopian tubes of the female. These sperm are looking for an egg to fertilise. When a female is born she carries hundreds of eggs ready to use when she becomes an adult. Once a month, the female releases an egg. If an egg has been released, a sperm can fertilise it and make the first cell of a new baby. Once one sperm has fertilised the egg, no other sperm can get in. For the sperm it's like a race and there is only one winner. This fertilised egg immediately divides into two cells; these cells then divide again and again over the next couple of days as the cluster of cells makes its way to the uterus (womb). Here it is implanted in the lining of the uterus and continues dividing its cells to make billions of new cells. The female is now pregnant. Over 9-10 months, these cells will grow into a new person - a baby.

The best way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy is to use contraception.