Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

Activity 7-2Situations That May Lead to Unwanted or Unintended SexDescription of ActivityObjectives: Students will be able to:1. Describe specific common situations that may lead to unwanted or unprotected sex2. Describe ways to avoid or get out of those situationsRisk and Protective Factors Affected:1. Knowledge2. Perception of peer norms about having or avoiding unwanted or unprotected sexActivity:The instructor asks students to describe multiple situations that might lead to unwanted sex. Afterthe students have mentioned a couple, the instructor chooses one of the most common ones andasks for greater detail about it. As appropriate, she/he asks where it would take place, what type ofenvironment, who will be there, who will not be there, will alcohol or drugs be there, etc. A commonsituation might be a party at someone’s home. Other teens will be there. Parents or other adults willnot be there. Music, alcohol and empty bedrooms or other rooms will be part of the environment.The instructor then asks what could be done to avoid such situations and allows time for studentsto give a variety of answers (e.g., check to be sure adults will be there, make sure alcohol and drugswill not be there).The instructor then asks what you could do if you unexpectedly find yourself at such a party andallows time for multiple answers (e.g., ask to go home, make a compact with a girlfriend not to letyou drink or go off with someone).And finally, the instructor asks what you can do if you find yourself in a situation where you arenecking and might become sexually intimate (e.g., go to the bathroom, state clearly you are not readyfor this and want to leave the room, or say you have had too much to drink and do not feel well).After one common situation has been described and discussed, the instructor chooses anotherdissimilar situation and goes through the same process. This is repeated until multiple possiblesolutions have been discussed or until most creative ideas for avoiding and getting out of risksituations have been suggested and described by students.Notes:1. Because the students describe the situations that their peers are involved in, these situations arereal to the students.2. Because the students suggest all the ways to avoid or get out of these situations, they establisha clear norm that students should either avoid or get out of these situations and should not haveunwanted or unprotected sex.Important Considerations in Using ItPossible Pitfalls That Might Reduce Effectiveness:1. Students are not given enough time to describe the situations.2. Students are not given enough time or encouragement to describe methods of avoiding orgetting out of such situations.3. Students do not identify many solutions. (Continued)92 Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs