How to avoid the pressure to have sex

1. Be safe at parties or at bars.

1.1. Always going out with friends. Do not go to parties or bars by yourself. Pouring your own drinks (or watching them being poured). Never leaving your drink unattended. Not accepting drinks from strangers. Limiting yourself to only a few drinks. Having a trusted friend take you home if you start to get too drunk. Do not allow someone you just met to walk you home, even if he or she seems like a nice person.

2. Set firm boundaries

2.1. Once you have decided not to have sex, you will need to set clear boundaries with anyone who might try to pressure you setting clear boundaries helps you avoid being pressured into sex

3. Determine not to have sex

3.1. Before you're ever in a situation where you need to think about not having sex, you need to make up your mind that not having sex is definitely what you want to do.

3.2. Decide why you don’t want to have sex and keep that at the front of your mind. Is it because you want to wait until marriage? You don’t want to get pregnant? You don’t want to risk getting an STD? Having a specific goal in mind will keep you from giving into pressure.

4. Stay in group of friends

4.1. One way to make sure you're never alone with someone who might pressure you to have sex is to go out in groups of friends or on double dates.

5. Recognize common pressure tactics.

5.1. You need to be able to tell when someone is attempting to pressure you into sex so that you can act. Some tactics can appeal to your insecurities and make you feel bad about yourself, such as by putting you down or using guilt to coerce you into sex.

5.2. Common phrases you might hear include: "I can't help myself" "You shouldn't have worn that outfit" "This is the way I can show you my love" "I won't love you anymore if you don't let me" “Everyone is doing it!” “We have had sex already, so you can’t say no now.”

6. Remember that you have a right to say no.

6.1. Your body belongs to you alone. You are in control of how it is treated, and if you decide you don't want to have sex with someone, you have the full right to say no.