Condom Demonstration - PCV Kirby Moz 24

Guide to Teaching How to Use a Condom

It’s important to explain not only how to use a condom, but also its benefits and reasons for using them; additionally, talking about healthy relationships with open communication. By including this, the sexual relationships that our youth will be entering with be stronger and more consensual and equal/fair.

Below is an outline of a health talk, as well as some tips about each topic.

Open Communication

·         A relationship should have open communication and understanding before sex is introduced

·         Both people should be comfortable

o   about sharing and talking about their lives, expectations and their future goals

o   to get tested at the hospital together

§  Even if they recently got tested, they should get tested again if they changed/added partners, did not use a condom even once, or were exposed to HIV is other ways.

§  After being exposed and becoming infected with the virus, the HIV test takes about 3 months so show that in fact you’re positive. So frequent testing is important

o   and able to say ‘no’ if they do not want to have sex

·         Without this, one or both people are likely to get their feelings hurt, feel pressured into doing something they are not (yet) comfortable doing, etc 

·         Once open communication is established, it is much easier to then talk about difficult things. Whereas in a relationship where things are rarely shared, talking about difficult themes such as HIV, condoms, pregnancy, fidelity, etc is almost impossible

You can ask for two volunteers to do skits of what healthy and unhealthy relationships would look like. An unhealthy relationship involves one pressuring the other into doing something the other doesn’t, such as skipping school to hang out, drinking, having sex, etc. A healthy relationship skit would show both partners listening and coming to an agreement when one asks the other to do something.

Importance of Using Condoms

·         Prevents both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections

·         When females use other methods of birth control (pills, implants, etc), they are still at risk of contracting and transmitting SDIs. Using both one of these methods and condoms will lessen their risks of both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections

·         HIV can still be transmitted between faithful partners since one of them can contract HIV in other ways (blades, car accidents, etc), so condoms help prevent transmission between partners even if they are not having sex with other people

·         Having sex even once without a condom can mean you can get pregnant, contract HIV or an STI

·         Premature or unwanted pregnancies go beyond just 9 months. They affect your entire life, and if you have dreams of finishing school and having and professional career, having a baby can delay and possibly prevent this

·         There is still no cure for HIV, so prevention is the best way to ensure your future

·         Some STIs are treatable and others are not, so again prevention is the best thing

You can ask a few students to share their future career goals. Ask each how many more years of school they would need to complete and what other tasks (exams, etc) are required to obtain such job. Then ask how having a baby would affect this dream. How contracting HIV and monthly hospital visits would affect this dream.

How to Use a Male Condom

·         Both people want to have sex

o   Verbal consent is very important

·         Confirm the condom is not expired

o   Also, if it’s been in your pocket/wallet for 3+ months, throw it out. Your constant body heat might have made it weaker

·         Confirm that there is air and no holes in the package

o   No needles have pierced it. Sometimes a person might pierce it because they do want to get pregnant, but the other doesn’t, so they’ll lie and break the condom

·         Open carefully with your hands (not teeth)

o   Don’t want to tear the condom in the process

o   If you drop it on the floor, throw it out, it is contaminated

·         Confirm which way the condom rolls

o   One-way rolls easily, and the other doesn’t. Just because you can’t roll it, doesn’t mean you should give up (God has showed you that you shouldn’t be using a condom because it’s to difficult), you just need to flip it around

·         Hold the tip of the condom, so there is some space at the tip

o   If there is no space, the force of the male’s semen could cause an issue

·         Put the condom on the penis

o   For the first demo, I would just use fingers or something basic

o   For the second demo, to confirm comprehension, you can then use a model or something. People may not pay attention due to laughing, so you want to confirm they pay attention

·         Confirm again that both people still want to have sex

o   Make sure neither changed their mind

·         [Consensual Sex]

·         Hold the end of the condom to make sure the semen doesn’t escape when removing condom

·         Take off the condom

o   Condoms are easier to remove when the penis is flaccid, unlike this model

·         Tie a knot so the fluids remain completely in the condom

·         Throw away in the latrine or burn

o   Do not leave it somewhere a child could find it and play/chew/drink it. They often want to blow it up like a balloon or think it’s milk and make cha with it

The first time I go through the steps, I do it by myself with only fingers. The second time I ask for a volunteer and use a penis model.

How to Use a Female Condom

·         Almost the same as the male condom. Use a toilet paper tube for the vagina.

·         Both people want to have sex

o   Verbal consent is very important

·         Confirm the condom is not expired

o   Also, if it’s been in your pocket/wallet for 3+ months, throw it out. Your constant body heat might have made it weaker

·         Confirm that there is air and no holes in the package

o   No needles have pierced it. Sometimes a person might pierce it because they do want to get pregnant, but the other doesn’t, so they’ll lie and break the condom

·         Open carefully with your hands (not teeth)

o   Don’t want to tear the condom in the process

o   If you drop it on the floor, throw it out, it is contaminated

·         Confirm which way the condom goes in

o   There are two rings. The smaller one goes into the vagina, and the bigger one is the opening and must stay outside.

·         Pinch the smaller ring of the condom, so it forms an ‘8’

o   This way it is smaller and can be inserted easier

·         Insert the smaller ring into the vagina. Ensure that the bigger ring/opening is still completely outside of the vagina

o   Insert the smaller ring into the toilet paper tube so it is all the way through and comes out the top of the tube, while the opening is coming out of the bottom of the tube and outside of the vagina

·         Confirm again that both people still want to have sex

o   Make sure neither changed their mind

·         [Consensual Sex]

o   They must both continually check that the penis is inside of the condom and that the condom has not entered the vagina, otherwise it is like they are having sex without any protection

·         Twist the bigger ring/opening of the condom to make sure the semen doesn’t escape when removing the condom

·         Take out the condom

·         Tie a knot so the fluids remain completely in the condom

·         Throw away in the latrine or burn

o   Do not leave it somewhere a child could find it and play/chew/drink it. They often want to blow it up like a balloon or think it’s milk and make cha with it

·         While both male and female condoms work with the same efficiency, it is easier to incorrectly use female condoms, since the opening of the condom can easily enter the vagina

·         Female condoms are not commonly offered in stores simply because store owners do not think they will sell, since they’re not as commonly used/known. This does not mean they are less good

Review

·         Open communication about getting tested together at the hospital, wanting to start having sex, and using condoms

·         Condoms are the only method that prevents both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections

·         If you use a condom incorrectly, it is as if you are not even using one, because you are at risk

Hit me up if you have any questions. Kirby (him/his pronouns), Moz24 extendee in Macuze, Namacurra, Zambezia.  87-136-3122

*For more ideas and information in Portuguese consult your JUNTOS curriculum manual

Obrigada for the submission Kirby! Submissions for activities /meeting topics are ALWAYS welcome