10 Responsible Tips on How to Stay Safe During a Hookup

So you just booked a hookup for yourself with a cutie real soon! First of all, we love that for you. And second, we must ensure your safety! Keep reading our 10 key tips on how to stay safe during a hookup listed down below.

1 Share your location with your friends beforehand. 

Even before meeting the person you’re going to sleep with, you need some trusted pals who know where you’re headed. That way, they can instantly pick you up or reach out to you in case of emergencies. And hey, it can happen.

Keep them up to date as much as you can. Text or send them screenshots of your whereabouts. But also keep it discreet. You can also use location-sharing apps such as Life360 so your friends can track you in real time if you can’t access your phone when you’re at it.

2 Get tested!

It’s 2023, guys. By this time, STDs and STIs are always emphasized to be cautious of when venturing through the world of sex. 

Even if some cultures choose not to talk about it, your own sexual health is your responsibility. So the best thing you can do is to research and stay educated on all things related to sexual health. Make sure we’re one of your go-to sources!

Getting tested regularly when you’re sexually active before any hookup is also a great way to monitor where your sexual health currently stands.

3 Learn the status of the person you’re hooking up with.

And by status, it’s whether or not they’re clean from STDs or STIs. Basically, the same thing with you from the last point. This is important so you can navigate things smoothly before your planned session ahead. This is also another way to be responsible in terms of having a healthy sex life.

4 Use protection!

Safe sex is better sex. That should be a non-negotiable with a person you’ve not met yet or still getting to know better. Think about it: you don’t know what their sexual history is like so it’s better safe than sorry.

And if possible, bring your own condoms if you’re sleeping with someone with a penis owner. NHS inform states that condoms have a 98% effectiveness in preventing pregnancy and avoiding contracting STIs and STDs. Take matters into your own hands here, especially when your sexual health is involved. 

Other means of protection are birth control pills if you’re sexually active and an IUD if you struggle to follow and remember a routine of taking pills constantly.

5 Meet your hookup outdoors.

Meeting your hookup in a public setting allows you to verify their identity immediately on the spot. To see if they are the person they say and show to be. This is extra helpful if you encounter them first through dating apps to avoid possible catfishing and even kittenfishing. 

Never ever meet them in the place you’re doing the deed just yet! Plus, it’s best to enter that place together safely. 

6 Discuss what you both want to do.

Whether virtual or in person as you meet up, all activities planned for your hook-up should be consensual. Consent must be present throughout the process. Be firm with establishing any kind of boundaries, such as what activities that are complete no-no’s in doing and where not to do the deed, among many others. 

Anything that’s one-sided becomes non-consensual because you’re taking advantage of the person you’re hooking up with. That can be counted as either sexual assault or rape.

7 Stay sober as much as possible.

Having a drink or ingesting any drugs with the person you’re hooking up with isn’t ideal, especially when you just met. Only God knows if they may have underlying intentions, which is the last thing we’d want. But again, better safe than sorry. Additionally, indulging in vices can mess with your judgment and assessment of the situation. Vices can make you sluggish, and as much as possible, we need to stay aware and in control of our situation.

8 Aftercare matters.

No matter what the set-up is, from long-term relationships, friends with benefits, and hookups, aftercare must not be skipped. It’s the last stage of sex, wherein you show respect and decency after such an emotionally and physically intense time. You need time to unwind and catch a breath before calling it a night. For hookups, aftercare can look like handing out tissues or wipes to clean yourselves, giving water, offering snacks, and having some friendly conversation afterward. 

By doing aftercare, you treat each other as humans. So don’t be an a-hole by asking your partner to leave right away or simply dress up and leave after the sex. Like please, let’s leave those toxic trends behind.

9 Trust your gut feeling.

Gut feelings are your guardian angels. If something’s off, they’ll let you know. So when a flurry of such emotions comes towards you, it’s best to back away from the hookup. Inform the person you’re with about it, and do your best not to feel guilty about it as you leave because it can happen.

Sex should be fun and not forced, so don’t do the deed if you’re 100% not feeling it at the moment.

10 Have a friend pick you up after the hookup.

Just like how you have friends safely tracking you from their phones, another option for them to be involved is fetching you. Whether it’s at your hookup’s place, a hotel, or any type of lodging, have an assigned friend who’s willing to give you a ride home afterwards. Let them know what time, too, but as much as possible, do it at a respectful time. If the hookup is only for the night, have your friend on standby a bit past midnight (or you call the shots depending on your friendship; still be mindful!)

Or if the sexcapade was too good to leave early, meet up in the morning right when the sun is up. Maybe have breakfast with each other right after.

But in the possible worst-case scenario where you weren’t feeling the person you’re with (based on the previous tip), call your backup right away.

Takeaway

And that wraps up our list of tips on how to stay safe during a hookup! We hope you apply this in your first or succeeding ones to ensure maximum safety alongside reaching maximum pleasure. To read more sex-related articles such as this one, you can read more at the Lauvblog here.