Emergency contraceptions to the rescue- Julie 18

Sex with a stranger, what do I do?

One evening, sometime in November, I received a call from a friend who was in distress. She had been out with some friends and ended up having sex with a man she barely knew, and they did not use a condom. She wasn't on any contraception, and she was worried that she might have gotten pregnant or gotten a sexually transmitted infection from him, so she called me because she wanted to do something to protect herself from any potential harm. Since she lived nearby, I asked her to come to my place to talk in person.

Being part of the DREAMS project helped me learn about safe and effective ways to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. I suggested emergency contraception to my friend after she explained what had happened. I explained that she was to take the pills within 72 hours after the sexual encounter. However, I informed her they would not protect her from sexually transmitted infections or HIV; they only prevented pregnancy.

"Emergency contraception was a sensible and responsible option."

She was hesitant at first because of the stigma associated with emergency contraception. She had heard it was only for "promiscuous" women who didn't use birth control regularly. Still, I assured her that emergency contraception was a sensible and responsible option for anyone in a situation like hers.

We went to a nearby health centre and asked for the pills, and the doctor explained the dosage and the possible side effects, which included nausea, vomiting and dizziness. He also gave her Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent HIV infection. My friend immediately took the pills, and we headed back to her apartment. I stayed with her for a while to ensure she felt supported by a friend.

Still in control.

In the days that followed, she still felt anxious and scared. She thought she had let herself down and couldn't trust anyone anymore. I tried to reassure her that what had happened was just a mistake and could still happen to anyone; important was that she was still in control of her body and life. I thanked her for trusting me with all this information.

My friend's experience is a shared experience. Women and girls may find themselves in similar situations. They need to know that emergency contraception is available to prevent unintended pregnancies and PEP to prevent HIV infection after engaging in unprotected sex with someone whose HIV status is unknown.