What is Abstinence?

Abstinence is avoiding voluntary intimate sexual contact. What is sexual contact? Sexual contact is any activity involving stimulation of yours or your partners genital areas, which includes but is not limited to oral sex, anal sex, and vaginal intercourse.

What abstinence isn't. Abstinence doesn't mean that you can't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, have fun, or have a social life. You can do all of these things, and more, without being sexually active. Abstinence is about making the best choices to protect your health and your future.

True/False Section:

1. T/F: Mutual masturbation is not considered a sexual activity.

T/F Answer

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False. Mutual masturbation involves direct contact with the genital area, and is a form of sexual contact. There is a risk of sexual contact if someone is engaging in mutual masturbation

2. T/F: There is no point in being in a relationship if I am not having sex with my partner.

T/F Answer

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False. There are many positive and healthy choices that you can make in a relationship that do not involve being sexually active.

Related Content: Please see the Instead of Having Sex page.