Sex

The legal age of consent is 16 that covers sex between male and female partners, and between partners of the same sex. Nationally most young people do not lose their virginity until they are 16 or older.

Having sex should be a positive experience. You should feel safe and be able to go at your own pace. No-one has the right to hurt you emotionally or physically or make you do something that feels wrong. You’ll find more information about this in our Relationships page.

It’s also important to remember that there’s more to relationships than just sex so there’s nothing wrong with choosing not to have sex. There are no rules about how long you should be going out with someone before you have sex, that’s if you decide to have sex at all. The RU Ready page provides some advice that might help you decide if and when the time is right for you

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are infections that can be caught or passed on when you have sex or close sexual contact with another person. STIs are more common than you might think and even if you are not having sex right now – knowing about STIs and how to protect yourself against them can help to make sure you stay safe if you decide the time feels right. The best way to protect yourself against an STI is to always use a condom when you have sex – that’s vaginal, anal or oral sex. You’ll find more about this in our Info on STIs and Contraception sections.

So whether you are already having sex, trying to make up your mind if the time is right for you or just curious about what it all means the following pages are aimed at helping you stay safe, know the facts and where to go for advice and help.