The Facts... without the Lecture
B4uDecide.ie is closing down at the end of May 2024.
Alternative sources of relationships and sexuality information and resources:
- For 16-25 year olds: SpunOut.ie is an information provision website, including relationships and sexuality issues.
- For 17+ year olds: Sexualwellbeing.ie is the HSE website that provides information and resources on a wide range of information such as consent, contraception, sexual transmitted infections, vaccinations and unplanned pregnancy
- For parents: The HSE’s ‘Making the ‘Big Talk’ many small talks’ series of booklets to help parents and children talk about relationships and sexuality is available online, and to order free of charge from healthpromotion.ie. HSE funded RSE workshops are available at npc.ie and ifpa.ie
- For teachers: Junior Cycle SPHE Resources are available to support the new 2023 SPHE specification , including the Relationship and Sexuality strand.
- For youthworkers: HSE funded training on relationship and sexuality issues is available at REAL U | Foroige and Tailored Training Courses – National Youth Council of Ireland
Marion’s Story
Well I was going out with my boyfriend for a long time. We always used condoms, but I didn’t know that they didn’t protect you from Herpes. I didn’t know what was wrong until I came to the STI clinic. I just went to the doctor in terrible pain and as soon as she saw what it was she told me to go to the STI clinic. They said I had Herpes.
I was absolutely devastated, absolutely devastated. I was in rag order coming to the clinic. My eyes were puffy from bawling my eyes out crying. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me but in the end it didn’t turn out to be as bad as I had expected.
My mam was the first person to find out. I’m so glad I told her. I don’t know how I would have managed to do all this on my own. At least I had my mam’s support and my parents were behind me. I told my boyfriend and my best friend too. I didn’t want word to get around about it too much – it’s not exactly something you want everybody knowing.
All I would say is to make sure you’re really ready to have sex before you do it. Don’t just say to yourself – well he wants to so I’ll just do it – make sure you’re ready for it just as much as he is. And be prepared you know – use condoms – they do protect you from a lot of stuff, even though I still got Herpes and I used them.