The Sexual Health Resource Fair was in full swing educating the UA community on Wednesday as part of Sex Talk Week on campus.
The fair had 20 different informational tables manned by 15 different organizations from the university and the local community, according to Carrie Hardesty, coordinator of the fair and health educator at Campus Health Service. The fair took place on the Mall in front of the Student Union Memorial Center.
The Sexual Health Resource Fair, which has been held annually for more than 25 years, expected to see 500 to 700 visitors, according to Lee Ann Hamilton, assistant director of health promotion and preventive services at Campus Health.
“The main goal is to help people make healthy choices around sexual decision making,” Hamilton said. “And if that is not having sex, we want to affirm that there are a lot of people abstaining from sex and if you are choosing to be sexually active, reduce your risks. Protect yourself; protect your partners.”
The fair offered information on sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex practices, pregnancy and birth control. Not only did the fair provide information, it also had games and prizes. One of the games at the fair that both taught and entertained was called Prize Wheel, where students spun a wheel, then had to answer a question correctly to win a prize.
“One of the ways we can get people here is keeping it fun, keeping it interactive and being informational,” said David Salafsky, director of health promotion and preventive services at Campus Health.
Campus organizations represented at the fair included the Campus Health Pharmacy and Campus Health’s Oasis Program, which aims to prevent and respond to sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking on campus, according to Megan McKendry, an Oasis violence prevention specialist. Survivors, and their friends and partners, are welcome to use Oasis’ services, McKendry said.
Some of the students who attended the fair commented on the benefits of sexual awareness.
“I think it is really important that people should be open to their sexual life, especially in college, because now is the time when people experience [sexually],” said Tricia Paul, a psychology freshman.
