Sexually Healthy Newcastle

What would a ‘Sexually Healthy Newcastle’ look like to you?

Is it just about practising safer sex in order to reduce your risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? Is it about having access to contraception and reproductive choices so that we can control our fertility? Or is it more than that?

Is it being able to enjoy our intimate and sexual lives, have respectful and healthy relationships, feel good about our bodies, have safe and pleasurable sexual experiences?

The World Health Organisation defines sexual health as:

… a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.

We would love to hear ideas from people living, working and studying in Newcastle on what would make a Sexually Healthy Newcastle, in the hope that we can all make better links across the city and support each other to have more open conversations and start to change the culture around talking about sex, relationships and sexual and reproductive health.

We held an event on 26 June 2018 for frontline workers, managers and policy-makers in Newcastle to come together and share ideas on how we can develop our confidence, knowledge and skills, as well as making stronger links with others in the city who can help us to have better conversations about relationships, sex and sexual health.

There were lots of great ideas from the event which have helped to develop our vision for a Sexually Healthy Newcastle and plan the work we are going to do in the city to improve sexual health for everyone. If you would like to be involved in this work, contact harriet.yudkin@newcastle.gov.uk or share your ideas on social media using #SexuallyHealthyNewcastle