Lesson video

Hello, my name's Ms. Willow, and I'm going to be your teacher for today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called "Alcohol and risky sexual behavior," and it fits into the unit "Healthy intimate relationships: What influences risky sexual behavior?" During this lesson, we are going to be talking about sexual content and some sensitive content too, so for this lesson, we require you to have an adult with you.

If you don't have an adult with you at the moment, please come back to this lesson when you do have one with you.

And if at any point during this lesson you do feel worried or uncomfortable, it's really important that you stop the lesson and that you speak to a trusted adult.

Okay, let's make a start on today's lesson.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to describe how alcohol can influence decision making and lead to risky sexual behaviors.

Before we get started with today's lesson, we need to go over some ground rules.

These help to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable during today's lesson.

First of all, Laura says that we need to listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should always listen properly before we make any assumptions or before we decide how to respond.

When we disagree with someone else, it's important to challenge the statement and not the person themselves.

Next, Andeep says that we need to respect each others' privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we shouldn't use any names or descriptions that identify anyone, including ourselves.

If we want to share a story or an experience, we can refer to someone as "my friend." This means that we're not going to give away any identifying information.

Next, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in with discussion.

We should never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob says no judgment.

We can explore any beliefs and misunderstandings that we have about a topic without fear of being judged by others.

Now let's take a look at the keyword for today's lesson.

Our keyword for today's lesson is safer sex.

Safer sex is practices that reduce risk of sexually transmitted infections, often called STIs, and unintended pregnancy.

Today's lesson is split into three learning cycles.

Our first learning cycle is called "How does alcohol affect sexual safety?" And our second learning cycle is called "Can you give consent when drunk?" Our final learning cycle is called "What does safer sex mean?" Let's make a start on our first learning cycle, "How does alcohol affect sexual safety?" Alcohol slows down brain function and affects our judgment.

It lowers our inhibitions; this means that someone is more likely to take risks, say yes to things that they wouldn't normally agree to, or ignore safety if they've had some alcohol.

Alcohol may make someone feel more confident or more relaxed, but alcohol also makes it harder to think ahead or to recognize danger and risks.

Nurse Daniel explains that alcohol changes how you see things.

You might feel in control, but your decisions are riskier than you think.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing so far.

Which of these is a possible effect of alcohol on decision making? A, improves judgment in sexual situations, B, increased ability to recognize danger, C, lower inhibitions and more risk taking, or finally D, clearer communication and planning.

Which of these is a possible effect of alcohol on decision making? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that the correct answer is C, lower inhibitions and more risk taking.

Lower inhibitions and more risk taking is a possible effect of alcohol on decision making.

Well done if you said the same thing.

When drinking, people may forget to use contraception.

So this might mean forget to take a contraceptive pill or to use a condom.

People may also ignore personal boundaries.

This could relate to their own personal boundaries or someone else's.

People may go along with things due to peer pressure, and they may be less able to say no or to ask questions.

Alcohol doesn't just affect your thinking.

It can also change how you understand what someone else wants as well.

And Dr.

Elsie tells us that even if you feel fine after having alcohol, alcohol can stop you from spotting red flags in a situation or from speaking up if you're uncomfortable.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is this statement true or false? Alcohol can stop you from recognizing unsafe situations.

What do you think? Is this true or false? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is true.

It's true that alcohol can stop you from recognizing unsafe situations.

Well done if you said the same thing.

Let's move on to our first practice task, and well done for your hard work in this learning cycle so far.

For the first part of this task, I'd like you to list three ways that alcohol could affect someone's ability to make safe choices in a sexual situation.

Then for the second part of this task, I'd like you to explain one way that someone could protect themselves in that situation.

Pause the video, and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

For the first task, list three ways that alcohol could affect someone's ability to make safe choices in a sexual situation, you might have said forgetting to use protection.

For example, taking a contraceptive pill or using a condom.

Agreeing to something that they normally wouldn't while sober.

Misreading what someone else wants.

Going along with things due to peer pressure.

And being less able to say no or to ask questions.

Well done if your answer looked anything like this or had some similar ideas.

For the second part of this task, explain one way that someone could protect themselves in that situation, you could have said something like: Carry contraception on you to help remember to use it, and if not used, seek out emergency contraception and an STI test.

Well done if your answer was anything like this.

We're now moving on to our second learning cycle, "Can you give consent when drunk?" Consent is about agreeing freely, clearly, and enthusiastically to sexual activity.

It must be given without pressure, force, or confusion, and it can be taken back at any time.

Someone is only able to give consent if they have the capacity to understand and fully agree to what is happening.

Police Officer Kofi explains that if someone is drunk and they can't think clearly or speak properly, they can't give legal consent.

And it's that simple.

Any form of being sexual must always be consensual, otherwise a law may be broken.

Let's do another check for understanding to see how you're doing with this learning cycle.

I'd like you to complete the sentence.

Consent is about agreeing blank, clearly, and enthusiastically to sexual activity.

Where I've said the word blank, can you decide which word is missing? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that the missing word is freely.

Consent is about agreeing freely, clearly, and enthusiastically to sexual activity.

Well done if you said the same thing.

When someone is drunk, they might struggle to communicate clearly, so it might be hard to understand what they're saying.

They might feel confused or unsure about what's happening.

They might be less able to say yes or to say no.

And they may appear to agree without understanding what they're actually agreeing to.

Consent must always be clear, enthusiastic, and informed.

So this means that someone is giving consent and they fully understand what they are giving consent to.

Alcohol clouds all of these things.

And Doctor Elsie says that if you're not sure that someone can consent, then they can't.

Always wait until you're both fully aware and sober if you're not sure if someone can give consent.

If you're not sure, again, this is a clear sign that someone is not able to give consent in that situation.

Let's do another check for understanding to see how you're doing.

This time, I'd like you to decide if this statement is true or false.

Consent has been clearly given if both people are drunk and laughing but haven't spoken clearly.

What do you think? Is this true or false? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false.

But why? You might have said that this is not consent because both people have not agreed in a clear and informed way.

Even if they're laughing, if they're not able to speak clearly, neither of them are able to give consent.

Well done if you said the same thing.

Well done for your hard work in this learning cycle.

I'd like you to write a short scenario where alcohol affects someone's ability to give consent to a kiss.

I'd like you to include what a respectful response would look like in this situation.

Pause the video, and we'll go through a model answer in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

Your task was to write a short scenario where alcohol affects someone's ability to give consent to a kiss, and I asked you to include what a respectful response would look like.

Let's take a look at this model answer: At a party, Taylor is very drunk and leaning against a wall.

Riley wants to kiss them but notices that Taylor is slurring and not responding clearly.

Riley decides to wait until Taylor is sober and can consent in a clear, enthusiastic, and informed way.

Well done if your answer was anything like this or had some similar ideas.

We're now moving on to our final learning cycle, "What does safer sex mean?" Safer sex means protecting yourself and others from STIs, unintended pregnancy, and emotional harm.

It includes using protection like condoms, talking openly, and making sure that both people give clear consent.

Safer sex isn't just physical.

It's about respect, trust, and shared responsibility.

Nurse Daniel says that safer sex means making choices that protect your body and your well-being, both physically and emotionally.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing with this learning cycle so far.

I'd like you to complete the sentence.

Safer sex means making choices that blank your body and your well-being, both physically and emotionally.

Where I've said the word blank, can you decide which word is missing? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that the missing word was protect.

The sentence should now say: Safer sex means making choices that protect your body and your well-being, both physically and emotionally.

Well done if you got this right.

Alcohol can make it harder to use protection properly or remember to use it at all.

For example, when someone's had alcohol, they might find it more difficult to use a condom effectively or to remember to use one.

Alcohol can also make it harder to talk clearly about personal boundaries and contraception choices.

It can make it harder to recognize or respond to risky situations and to respect someone else's decisions and boundaries.

Doctor Elsie says that if someone is too drunk, they will be unable to give their consent.

Remember, if we're not sure if someone is able to give consent, this means that they're not able to give consent.

Let's do another check for understanding.

This time, I'd like you to decide which of the following statements are true.

Alcohol can make it harder to, A, use protection properly or remember to use it all, B, give or get proper consent before sex, or C, recognize or respond to risky situations.

Which of those statements are true? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that all of these answers are correct.

Alcohol can make it harder to use protection properly or remember to use it at all.

It can make it harder to give or to get proper consent before sex.

And it can make it harder to recognize or respond to risky situations.

Well done if you got this right.

We're now going to talk about the age of consent and how this relates to safer sex.

So in England and Wales, the age of consent is 16 years old.

David, who's a youth worker, says that this means that it's illegal for anyone under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Choosing not to engage in sexual activity is a perfectly valid decision for a couple of any age, and this should always be respected.

Sexual intimacy is just one aspect of an intimate or romantic relationship, and these relationships can be fulfilling and healthy without sex.

For people over the age of consent, sexual intimacy can be enjoyable and positive when they're ready and have given their consent freely, clearly, and enthusiastically, and when they feel safe and comfortable too.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Can you correct one word in the sentence below to make this statement true? It is legal for anyone under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Can you correct one word in that sentence to make the statement true? Pause the video, talk to the people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that instead of the word legal, the word should be illegal.

The correct sentence should now say that it's illegal for anyone under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Well done if you got this right.

We're now moving on to our final practice task, and well done for your hard work in this lesson.

For the first part of the task, I'd like you to read the following scenario and answer the questions.

Then I'd like you to write a short piece of advice someone could give to help prevent a similar situation.

Let's take a look at our scenario.

At a party, Ava and Charlie begin kissing.

They've both been drinking alcohol and they feel close.

They talk briefly about using protection but don't have any with them.

Later, they have sex without a condom.

The next day, Ava is upset and unsure how she feels about what happened.

The first question that I'd like you to answer is what made the situation unsafe? I'd then like you to answer the question, how did alcohol Ava and Charlie's ability to plan or decide? And finally, I'd like you to answer the question, what should have happened before any sexual activity took place? Once you've answered those questions, remember that I'd like you to write a short piece of advice someone could give to help prevent a similar situation from happening.

Pause the video, and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

For the first question, what made the situation unsafe, you might have said that Ava and Charlie didn't use protection and both were under the influence of alcohol.

For the second question, how did alcohol affect Ava and Charlie's ability to plan or decide, you might have said that alcohol likely made them forget to use protection and meant that they were not able to have a conversation which clearly and enthusiastically showed consent.

And for the next question, what should have happened before any sexual activity took place, you might have said that Ava and Charlie should have clearly agreed on boundaries and had contraception, such as condoms, available.

Well done if your answers were anything like this.

For the second part of the task where I asked you to write a short piece of advice someone could give to help prevent a similar situation, you might have said something like this: If you're going to a party where there might be alcohol, it's a good idea to think ahead.

You may decide to bring contraception, such as a condom, just in case.

It's really important that both people can give clear consent, and alcohol can make that harder.

If things don't feel right, it's okay to say no or to wait until you're sober before engaging in sexual activity.

There were lots of different answers for this, but well done if you had some similar ideas.

We're now going to summarize the key learning from today's lesson.

In today's lesson, we've learned that alcohol affects how your brain works.

It lowers your inhibitions, slows thinking, and makes you more likely to take risks during sexual situations.

Being drunk can make it harder to use protection like condoms or to remember important things like using contraception.

You cannot give proper consent if you're too drunk to understand what's happening, speak clearly, or make decisions confidently.

Sober consent is the only safe and legal kind.

And finally, we've learned that STIs, or sexually transmitted infections, and unplanned pregnancy are more likely when sex happens without communication or protection, especially under the influence of alcohol.

During today's lesson, you might have found that you've got some worries or questions, and if you do, it's really important that you share these with a trusted adult.

There's also some resources on the screen that are there to help you too.

Well done for your hard work today.

I hope to see you again soon.