Sexual health means lots of different things and it’s just as important as physical or mental health. Good sexual health means looking after your body as well as being safe and happy with your sexual experiences and relationships. This means protecting yourself from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or unplanned pregnancy*, feeling confident to say what you do and don’t want and being respected in your choices. As well as a right to healthy sexual experiences, you also have a responsibility to help keep yourself and your partner(s) safe. The Junction can provide you with advice and support around issues like relationships, contraception, STIs, pregnancy, sexuality or whatever is on your mind.
*Safer sex means protecting yourself from STIs, no matter who you are having sex with. For people with partners of a different sex, it also means protection from unplanned pregnancy.
We’re happy to have a confidential chat with you about anything related to sexual health and relationships at a walk-in or drop-in appointment. We provide services to young people aged 12-21 who are based in Leith and North East Edinburgh.
If you think you could be pregnant, you can have a free, confidential test at the Junction. Come in during walk-in or drop-in hours or give us a call or text to arrange an appointment. One of our workers will chat with you about your options. Even if you are under 16, we don’t need to tell anyone unless we believe you or others under 16 are being harmed. However, if you have a positive result (i.e. are
pregnant), we will support you to contact another health professional and to
decide what to do next.
We provide a c:card service to young people aged 13-21. Signing up for a c:card means you can pick up free condoms, lube and dams – a worker will chat with you and help you choose what’s right for you in a private space. It’s a confidential service, so you don’t need to give your name to use a c:card, only your date of birth and part of your postcode.
If you have had unprotected sex in the last 72 hours (3 days), emergency contraception (sometimes called the “morning after pill”) can help to stop you becoming pregnant. At the moment, we can’t provide this service, but if you’d like to talk to someone about emergency contraception, get in touch and we can support you to access this somewhere else.
*Update: Postal Testing Kits are not currently available. For up-to-date information on STI testing for 13 to 18 year olds, click HERE. If you are aged 19-21, click HERE.
Around 1 in 10 people have Chlamydia. It often has no symptoms but can cause problems with fertility or lead to more serious infections, so it’s important to get tested if you have had unprotected sex. Chlamydia can be transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex. Testing is easy, free and confidential. Pop in to The Junction for a Postal Testing Kit and we can help you to send it off and get your results over the phone. If you do test positive, it’s easy to treat with a course of antibiotics, usually tablets.
