Have you ever been confused about whether you are about to enter or have entered a healthy sexual situation?
One way you can determine if you are about to engage in healthy sex is by asking yourself if your current situation meets all the requirements of Wendy Maltz’s C.E.R.T.S. healthy sex model.
CONSENT: Can I freely and comfortably choose whether or not to engage in sexual activity?
EQUALITY: Is my feeling of personal power on an equal level with my partner? Does neither of us dominate the other?
RESPECT: Do I have a positive regard for myself and for my partner? Do I feel respected by my partner? Do I feel supportive of my partner and supported by my partner?
TRUST: Do I trust my partner on both a physical and emotional level? Do we have a mutual acceptance of vulnerability and an ability to respond to each other with sensitivity?
SAFETY: Do I feel secure and safe within the sexual setting? Am I comfortable with and assertive about where, when and how the sexual activity takes place? Do I feel safe from the possibility of unwanted pregnancy and/or STDs?
(Source: www.healthyplace.com/sex/abuse/sexual-intimacy-after-sexual-assault-or-sexual-abuse)
Take a moment before a sexual situation to see if it meets (or hopefully exceeds) each part of this model.