- home
- about us
- health care
- education & training
- advocacy, projects & research
- resource centre
- sexual health info
- news centre
- contact us
sexual health info
- sex and the law
- sex and my body
- sex and safety
- am I ready for sex?
- safer sex
- protection from STIs
- preventing pregnancy
- alcohol and drugs
- tattoos and body piercing
- sexually transmissible infections (STIs & BBVs)
- contraception
- frequently asked questions
Am I ready for sex?
Sex is your decision. Only you can choose what's right for you.
You can decide:
- if you want to have sex
- if you don’t want to have sex
- who you want to have sex with
- what type of sex you want to have
- when and where you want to have sex.
Only you can decide when you're ready to start having sex. Most young people, especially young women, say feeling ready and being with the right person at the right time is very important. Young women who had sex for the first time because their partner wanted it, because they felt pressured by their friends or because they were drunk tend to look back less positively afterwards.
When you do choose to have sex, it's important that you make it safer sex.
More information
Unwanted sex
Around 26% of school students have experienced unwanted sex. The most common reason they give is being drunk or feeling pressure from a partner. Unwanted sex includes:
- sex with the wrong person (i.e. someone you don't want to have sex with)
- sex in the wrong way (i.e. sex in a way you don't like or don't feel comfortable about)
- sex at the wrong time or place (i.e. sex when you're not ready or when you don't want to have it).
The law says no one is allowed to pressure you into having sex. If you feel you've been pressured into having sex or sexual touching that you didn't want, call the Centre Against Sexual Assault's (CASA) 24 hour hotline on T/ 1800 806 292. You can also see a doctor or visit one of our clinics. We provide emergency contraception and testing for sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and can refer you to a safe place for counselling or support.