What Is Safe Sex?

Safe sex means having sexual contact in ways that reduce your risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy.

It focuses on preventing the exchange of body fluids such as semen, vaginal fluids, and blood, and reducing skin‑to‑skin contact with infected areas.

Sex doesn’t just mean vaginal intercourse. STIs can be spread through:

  • Vaginal sex
  • Anal sex
  • Oral sex
  • Some skin‑to‑skin contact with the genital or anal area
  • Sharing sex toys without proper cleaning or protection

Certain STIs, like syphilis and genital warts (HPV), can spread even when a sore, rash, or wart is the only symptom. Others, like HIV and syphilis, can be passed from a pregnant person to their baby during pregnancy or birth.

If left untreated, STIs can lead to serious health problems, including:

  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  • Infertility in men and women
  • Chronic pelvic pain
  • Pregnancy complications
  • Increased risk of HIV transmission

Many STIs are common in Michigan and often have no obvious symptoms, so you or your partners may not know you’re infected. That’s why prevention and regular testing are so important in Grand Rapids and across Kent County.

Why Practising Safe Sex Matters in Grand Rapids, MI

In Grand Rapids, where we have a large young adult population, several universities, and a lively nightlife, STI prevention is a key public health issue.

Local data from the Kent County Health Department and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services show that infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis affect people of all ages, but especially those under 30.

Practising safe sex helps:

  • Protect you and your partners from STIs
  • Prevent unplanned pregnancy
  • Reduce the spread of infections in the Grand Rapids community
  • Protect unborn babies from infections like HIV and congenital syphilis

Cold Michigan winters and long indoor seasons can mean more time spent in close contact with others. Safe sex practices and regular STI screening help keep you healthy year‑round.

Use Condoms for Safer Sex

How Condoms Protect You

Condoms (sometimes called “rubbers”) are one of the best tools for safer sex. They:

  • Act as a barrier to stop semen, vaginal fluids, and blood from being exchanged
  • Lower your risk of HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, and other STIs
  • Help prevent unplanned pregnancy

No method is 100% perfect, but using condoms correctly and consistently makes sex much safer.

Types of Barrier Methods

1. External (male) condoms

  • A thin, strong pouch (usually latex) worn on the penis
  • Come in different sizes, shapes, and textures
  • Also available in non‑latex materials for people with latex allergies

2. Internal (female) condoms

  • A soft pouch with two flexible rings, worn inside the vagina or anus
  • Already lubricated and one size fits most
  • Can be used for vaginal or anal sex

3. Dental dams

  • Thin latex or polyurethane sheets
  • Used over the vulva or anus during oral sex to reduce STI risk

4. Gloves

  • Latex or nitrile gloves can reduce risk during manual sex (fingering or fisting), especially if there are cuts or sores on the hands or genitals

5. Diaphragms

  • A silicone cup that fits over the cervix
  • Good for pregnancy prevention but do not protect against STIs

Where to Get Condoms in Grand Rapids

You can get condoms:

  • At pharmacies and supermarkets across Grand Rapids
  • At campus health centers (e.g., Grand Valley State University, Calvin University, Aquinas College)
  • From community health centers and clinics
  • Through some local outreach or public health programs

Check with:

  • Kent County Health Department
  • Grand Rapids Public Health / local community health centers
  • Sexual health clinics run by major systems like Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health

Many clinics provide free or low‑cost condoms, especially for teens and young adults.

How to Use Condoms Safely

Follow these tips every time:

  1. Use a new condom every time you have sex.
  2. Check the expiry date and make sure the package isn’t damaged.
  3. Open the package carefully—don’t use teeth, scissors, or sharp nails.
  4. Put the condom on before any genital contact.
  5. Pinch the tip to remove air and unroll it all the way down the penis.
  6. Use only water‑based or silicone‑based lubricants with latex condoms.
    • Oil‑based products (like Vaseline, baby oil, coconut oil, or many lotions) can damage latex and cause breakage.
  7. After ejaculation, hold the base of the condom and withdraw while the penis is still hard.
  8. Tie it off, wrap it in tissue, and throw it in the trash (not the toilet).

Use condoms on sex toys if you share them, and change the condom between partners or between the vagina and anus to reduce infection risk.

Important Things to Remember About Condoms

  • They don’t cover all genital skin, so infections like genital warts, herpes, pubic lice, and scabies can still spread via skin‑to‑skin contact.
  • They can be damaged by heat, so avoid storing them in hot cars, wallets for long periods, or near heaters—especially during Michigan’s summer months.
  • They are single‑use only—never reuse a condom.

Sex Should Be Enjoyable and Consensual

Safer sex is not just about protection—it’s also about respect, consent, and comfort.

Any sexual activity should be:

  • Consensual – everyone clearly agrees and is able to consent
  • Respectful – no pressure, manipulation, or coercion
  • Enjoyable – you feel safe, heard, and comfortable

Sexual activities include:

  • Vaginal sex – penis, fingers, or sex toys in the vagina
  • Anal sex – penis, fingers, or sex toys in the anus
  • Oral sex – using the mouth, lips, or tongue on the genitals or anus
  • Manual stimulation – using hands or fingers on genitals

Using barriers (condoms, internal condoms, dental dams, gloves) makes all of these activities safer.

Practical Ways to Practise Safer Sex

  • Talk openly with your partner about sexual health, STI testing, and contraception.
  • Limit your number of sexual partners to reduce exposure risk.
  • Get tested for STIs regularly, especially if you have new or multiple partners.
  • Get treated promptly if you test positive for an STI, and follow your provider’s advice about when it’s safe to have sex again.
  • Avoid sex if you or your partner have:
    • Sores, cuts, blisters, warts, or rashes around the genitals, anus, or mouth
    • Unhealed or inflamed genital or oral piercings
    • A throat infection (for oral sex)
    • Heavy bleeding or unexplained discharge

Avoid High‑Risk Situations

Some situations make unsafe sex more likely:

  • Being drunk or high and unable to think clearly
  • Feeling pressured to have sex
  • Thinking “it’s okay just this once” to skip a condom
  • Assuming someone is “clean” because they look healthy

If you don’t feel comfortable, it is always okay to say no.

Any sex without your consent is sexual assault, and it is a crime. In an emergency, call 911. For confidential support in Michigan, you can also contact local sexual assault hotlines or ask your healthcare provider for resources.

Other Safer Sexual Practices

Safe sex doesn’t have to be boring. You can enjoy intimacy and pleasure with lower STI risk by focusing on:

  • Kissing
  • Cuddling and massage
  • Mutual masturbation (alone or with a partner)
  • Using sex toys with condoms and proper cleaning
  • Ejaculating on unbroken skin away from the mouth, vagina, or anus

These options can be especially helpful if you or your partner have an active STI outbreak (like herpes or genital warts), or if you’re waiting for test results.

Birth Control vs. STI Protection

Hormonal contraception methods like:

  • The pill or mini pill
  • Vaginal ring
  • Long‑acting reversible contraception (LARC) such as implants, IUDs, and injections

are excellent for preventing pregnancy, but they do not protect against STIs.

For the best protection, use both:

  • A reliable birth control method and
  • Condoms or other barriers for STI protection

Talk to a provider at Spectrum Health (Corewell Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health about the best contraception options for you.

What to Do If You Have Unsafe Sex

Unsafe sex includes:

  • Sex without a condom
  • A condom breaking or slipping off
  • Sexual contact with visible sores, ulcers, or rashes
  • Sharing sex toys without cleaning or changing condoms

Steps to Take

  1. Don’t douche (vagina or rectum). It can irritate tissues and increase infection risk.
  2. Consider emergency contraception if there is a pregnancy risk.
    • Best taken as soon as possible, up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex.
    • Available at most Grand Rapids pharmacies and through urgent care or primary care providers.
  3. Ask about HIV post‑exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you think you were exposed to HIV.
    • PEP is a course of anti‑HIV medication that must be started within 72 hours of exposure.
    • Available through emergency departments and some urgent care or infectious disease clinics in Grand Rapids.
  4. Get tested for STIs as soon as recommended by a healthcare provider.
  5. Avoid sex or use condoms consistently until you know your test results and, if needed, have completed treatment.

STI Testing in Grand Rapids, MI

STIs are common, and most people will have one at some point in their lives. Most are curable, and all are treatable.

When to Get Tested

Aim to get tested:

  • At least once a year if you are sexually active
  • Every 3 months if:
    • You have multiple partners
    • You are a man who has sex with men
    • You have anonymous or casual partners
  • Any time you start a new relationship
  • If you have symptoms, such as:
    • Unusual discharge
    • Burning when you pee
    • Genital sores, warts, or rashes
    • Pelvic or testicular pain
  • If a partner tells you they have an STI
  • If you are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant

What Testing Involves

Most STI testing is simple and quick:

  • Urine sample
  • Swabs from the throat, genitals, or anus (depending on your sexual practices)
  • Blood tests for infections like HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis

Where to Get STI Testing and Sexual Health Care in Grand Rapids

You can access confidential STI screening, treatment, and contraception through:

  • Your primary care provider or family doctor
  • Campus health centers (for students)
  • Kent County Health Department – offers STI testing, HIV testing, and sexual health services
  • Corewell Health (Spectrum Health) clinics – primary care and women’s health services
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids – family medicine, OB/GYN, and infectious disease clinics
  • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health – primary care and specialty clinics
  • Mercy Health – primary and specialty care, including women’s health

Search online for:
“STI testing Grand Rapids MI” or “sexual health clinic Grand Rapids MI” to find up‑to‑date locations, hours, and appointment options.

Many clinics offer:

  • Sliding‑scale or low‑cost services
  • Confidential care for teens and young adults
  • Walk‑in or same‑day appointments for urgent concerns

Overcoming Barriers to Safe Sex

People in Grand Rapids may face different challenges to practising safe sex, such as:

  • Embarrassment about buying condoms
  • Worry about talking to a partner about STIs
  • Cultural or religious beliefs
  • Fear of being judged at a clinic

Some tips:

  • Buy condoms at large grocery stores, pharmacies, or online if you prefer privacy.
  • Practise what you want to say to a partner ahead of time (for example, “I care about both of us, so I always use condoms”).
  • Remember that healthcare providers in Grand Rapids are trained to offer non‑judgmental, confidential care.
  • If you’re under 18, you can still access sexual health services in Michigan; ask your clinic about their confidentiality policies.

Key Points About Safe Sex in Grand Rapids, MI

  • Unsafe sex can put you and your partners at risk of STIs and unplanned pregnancy.
  • Many STIs have no symptoms, so regular testing is essential.
  • Condoms and other barrier methods greatly reduce your risk by preventing the exchange of body fluids.
  • Hormonal birth control prevents pregnancy but does not protect against STIs—use condoms too.
  • Avoid sex when you or your partner have sores, rashes, or signs of infection.
  • If you have unprotected sex, consider emergency contraception, ask about PEP for HIV if appropriate, and get tested.
  • Sexual health care in Grand Rapids is confidential, accessible, and available through local hospitals, clinics, and the Kent County Health Department.

Prioritising safe sex helps protect your health, your partners, and the wider Grand Rapids community.