Let's talk about sex: Stats, safety, STIs

Justin Timberlake may think he brought "Sexyback," but sexy never left the college campus.

Whether you're in the classic make-grandma-happy relationship or had a casual romp after a night at the Street, it is not hard to believe that many Princetonians are sexually active. So how effectively is University Health Services (UHS) aiding those students in making critical decisions, dealing with unplanned consequences and properly maintaining their sexual health?

According to a survey done by Trojan, at least, the University is doing a pretty good job. In 2005, out of 100 different private and public schools, Princeton ranked sixth with a 3.4 GPA on its "Sexual Health" report card. Yale topped the list, while Stanford ranked fourth and Duke eighth.

Trojan gave a letter grade to every school in the following categories: condom advice and availability, HIV and STI testing, sexual assault counseling and services, contraception advice and availability, advice column or Q-and-A feature for sexual issues or relationships; counseling service, peer counseling, campus events, and other outreach. Princeton received an "A" in every category except two "C"s in HIV and STI testing and the advice column section.

The most common STIs on college campuses are genital warts, chlamydia and herpes. UHS treats genital warts most often, according to the website of women's and men's health services. This STI is spread through skin-to-skin contact, but 80 percent of women and men show no traceable signs, according to UHS. The infection is caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The warts can be removed by topical creams or gels prescribed by a doctor, freezing them with cryotherapy or using an acidic chemical.

When the vaccine for a different HPV, the one that causes cervical cancer, hit the market for consumer use in June 2006 after gaining approval from the FDA, UHS embraced the medical marvel, and the vaccination is currently available to students. While some insurance companies are considering covering the vaccination, the Student Health Plan currently does not cover the $402 treatment, which is administered in three shots over the course of six months.

Despite the cost, students are generally supportive of UHS offering the new HPV vaccine. "If you are sexually active, then I think you should get it," said Paige Floyd '10. The vaccine has been recommended for girls between the ages of 11 and 26. "It's a good thing for people to be aware of, even if they aren't sexually active," added Karen Jeng '08.

UHS acknowledged that the best way to prevent an STI is abstinence. Failing that, however, they provide a number of other options as well. Students can get contraception in the form of "the pill", condoms and the patch. The University doesn't push students to pick one method over the other but informs students of the costs and benefits of either.

All of these services deal largely with consequences of consensual sexual contact. But sexual violence is unfortunately a very real part of college life. Between one-fourth and one-fifth of women will experience sexual assault by the time they graduate. Dr. Suraiya Baluch, the director of SHARE, estimates that she sees about 100 sexual assault cases a year at Princeton. "SHARE is always a good first-stop place to learn about the options," she said. The SHARE office is on call for emergencies every day at any time.

"Unfortunately, not everyone is trained to deal with survivors [of sexual assault]," Baluch added. "It's good to have someone to advocate for you and make sure you're getting the treatment you're supposed to."

After reporting a sexual assault, victims endure a lengthy evidence collection process that is commonly known as performing a "rape kit."

"It can be a difficult thing to go through because it is pretty extensive and invasive," Baluch explained.

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The rape kit includes lifting possible evidence from over a dozen different spots on the body, from the hair on the head to the genital areas. Each spot requires its own process for collection. The victim can refuse part or all of the process at any time, but if she completes it, a rape kit is a way "to maintain its credibility as evidence should a victim wish to press charges," Michelle Fox '08, the president of the Sexual Health Advisers, said in an email.

Despite the obvious benefits, UHS does not provide rape kits to students. In April 2004, The Daily Princetonian reported that possible funding for University-owned rape kits was rejected in 2003. Students who want evidence collection must go to the University Medical Center at Princeton (UMCP). Baluch is willing to accompany any student to UMCP as an advocate.

"The reason that Health Services doesn't provide evidence collection is because it is so specialized that you need to keep up the skill, if you don't do it enough," said Baluch. Fox added that, "unless the University had the resources available and they were state recognized, providing rape kits at McCosh would not be helpful to the victims."

Regardless of the availability of rape kits, Baluch emphasized that the most important thing is to give control back to the victim. "It's important that people believe a survivor when they come forward. The rate of false reports is 2 to 3 percent nationally," she said. "I think on college campuses it's even lower."

These victims aren't always female. Since she became the director of SHARE over the summer, Baluch hasn't come across any male victims. But she knows others who have.

Victims of sexual assault often deal with the emotional aftermath weeks, months and even years after the event has taken place. Students who are dealing with emotional trauma concerning their sexuality can seek help from Counseling and Psychological Services.

Dr. John Kalligian, director of counseling and psychological services, mentioned that there are a number of students who come in to talk about sexual issues, many of which are entirely unrelated to an assault. Such issues can include, "Sexual orientation and how they define themselves as a man or woman," Kalligian said. "It can often be interrelated with how they are thinking about themselves as a developing profession and how they fit in terms of ethic values and religious beliefs."

"We try not to have cookbook recommendations or counseling advice," he added. Each student has a different history and set of experiences that requires a therapist to look at them individually.

In addition to therapy, the psychological and counseling services will prescribe drugs to students who need them. "We have a couple of psychiatrists who will do evaluations and write out prescriptions for anti depressants and anti anxiety," Kalligian said.

While short-term therapy for each student is free, a psychologist may refer a student to another professional nearby who has expertise in their area for longer term treatment. Students can access someone in counseling and psychological services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "[In therapy] our general stance is to engage students and create a safe trustworthy space where they feel comfortable talking maybe about things they haven't talked about before," Kalligian said. In the end, open dialogue about sexual health is one of the most important resources the University can offer.