Episode 4 Unsafe Sex in the City

Britain is in the grip of an epidemic of sexually transmitted infections.

-Everyone shagged everyone.

-Behind every rash, lump and itch...

Men would come in, they had pus coming out everywhere.

-And there's some itching around the back passage?

-Yeah.

-Is a patient terrified they may have caught an STI?

-What if it's scabies?

This series follows the staff as they treat patients

at the Manchester Centre for Sexual Health.

Some of the things you see, especially herpes and warts,

can look really nasty. I'm going celibate!

And we work with the clinic

to invite Manchester's young people to get checked out.

-Was it protected or unprotected?

-Unprotected.

One, two, three.

That has actually come back positive for gonorrhoea.

-Oi!

-Before learning how the fallout from unprotected sex...

It's going up in increments, mate.

Next you'll have syphilis with holes in your cock.

..affects them...

I feel like it's ruined my life.

I want to get my results.

..and their relationships.

I'm calling because I just got a message from the clinic.

This week, Lauren gets checked out after a one-night stand.

You don't want to be known as the girl who has chlamydia!

Trans-gender Jasmine's sex life puts a life-changing operation at risk.

In the last three months, how many sexual partners have you had?

62 since January.

And macho Gary has some strange ideas about sexual health.

My view on it is, you're not a real man unless you've had chlamydia.

Hi. Do you want to come through?

Last year, the clinic saw nearly 30,000 patients.

It's non-stop for the staff,

dealing with a wide range of sexual health problems.

How many partners have you had in the last three months?

Er.. a-ha-ha!

-Three.

-Three?

Do you have any oral sex?

Not really.

Let me know if there's any soreness or pain, all right?

-Is there any soreness?

-No.

Open your mouth a bit wider. That's it. Get right at the back.

'I look forward to coming in at work every day.'

In here, you could be here 20 years -

you're still learning different things every day.

-Have you ever paid for sex?

-No.

Every patient has got a different story.

Everybody's got something different going on.

This is student Gary, a familiar face down at the clinic.

If I've had unprotected sex, then I will go

and have myself checked out, which is

why I come here regular. I'd say I've been here over ten times.

They know me by name terms, anyway.

That's more than can be said for many of the girls Gary has sex with.

I prefer to do it online really, because then it's straightforward

and you know what they want and they know what you want.

You can do it without harming anyone,

and you know there's not going to be any feelings and emotions involved.

Gary lives at home with his mum and dad.

They're fed up with him using the family home for his cyber sexploits.

Gary thinks he's God's gift.

Basically, I challenged him once,

saying he's using the house as a brothel, and I wasn't allowing that.

I don't get on with my mum and dad

because of the whole sleeping around and bringing different girls

back to the house and they weren't happy

with the way I was treating the house.

My worst worry is maybe one of these girls to knock at my door,

saying "This is Gary's child!"

But at the moment, touch wood, nobody's knocked on.

Gary's last relationship ended badly two years ago,

and since then, he's avoided getting serious with anyone.

I suppose it's a bit like a drug.

I just like to bring a lot of different girls home,

and if I'm not, then I feel like I need to be.

It's a bit like an addiction, I suppose.

Gary's addiction has led to him catching chlamydia once already.

But despite that, he still rarely bothers with condoms.

Ruins the moment, so to speak.

I'd say I worry about it, but it's something like,

it's a roll of the dice, you just hope for the best,

and see what the outcome is afterwards.

Gary! Hiya!

-Do you want to come through?

-Yeah.

His frenetic sex life has left his penis red, raw, and sore.

What can we do for you today?

-Basically just a general screening, but I've got redness as well.

-OK.

So I just want to get it checked out.

-Where's this redness?

-On my penis.

But before looking at the offending member,

Alison needs to find out the details of Gary's prolific sex life.

-When's the last time you had sex with anybody?

-Yesterday.

-OK.

-Is that a regular partner or a casual?

-Casual.

Just friends with benefits, sort of thing.

-Did you use a condom?

-No.

-Any oral sex between you?

-Yes.

-Both ways?

-Yeah.

-OK.

Before her, when was the last time you had sex with anybody different?

-Two days before.

-Two days before. So three days ago?

-Yes.

Could you contact her if you needed to?

-No.

-Was that just a one-off?

-Yeah.

-So no condom?

-No.

I need to get some more.

I can do that for you today, no problem.

And can you remember before the last time you had sex with anybody else?

Probably about a week ago.

Is that another friend-with- benefits, or is that...?

-No, but I've got her...

-You know?

-Yeah, I've got her number.

Was she a one-off at the time? You've not slept with her before?

-No, it's just a one-off.

-Same again?

-Yeah.

-No condoms.

-No.

Gary's symptoms could be signs of herpes, syphilis, or thrush.

So Alison needs to examine his penis

to see if he's picked up more than just girls online.

-OK. Just going to have a little feel around, OK?

-No worries.

-Have you been on holiday?

-No, sun beds.

-Sun bed? Oh!

Costa del sun beds! I wish I were going on holiday.

-No pain there at all?

-No, nothing.

When you have sex, do you have vigorous sex?

Yeah.

Because sometimes, you know, if you have a bit of friction,

that can cause a bit of irritation...

-I know, I did notice that.

-..after sex.

Well, during sex, it was fairly, like - it was like really rubbing,

and it was right proper sore.

OK.

Alison has seen enough of Gary's penis

and heard enough about his lifestyle.

Have a seat.

So, what I would advise is, I think it's just dry skin,

probably caused by friction that time you had sex.

I don't think it's anything to worry about.

I'm going to give you a lecture now.

So you've had a few partners, which is fine,

but, you need to make sure you use condoms.

That protects you, protects the girls, and also,

you're not sure if some of them are on any contraception so you need

to be worrying about potentially getting somebody pregnant.

-Yeah, true.

-I mean, how would you feel if you got somebody pregnant?

-Not good.

-Not good.

So, sometimes it's not always best to rely on the girl.

Not to say that you don't trust them, but you're in charge of

your sexual health and you know, if you were to get somebody pregnant...

-No, I understand.

-..it's on your shoulders as well!

-Well, you take care of yourself.

-Thank you for that. See you later.

It's nice to meet you. See you now! Bye-bye.

Gary will get the results of his tests

within the next fortnight, but in the meantime,

Alison's warnings appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

I've heard it all before.

It's like, I will use condoms, but then after a while, I think,

the novelty sort of wears off.

You sort of think you're invincible, sort of thing.

When obviously you're not.

Perhaps the novelty of catching HIV, syphilis,

chlamydia or gonorrhoea may finally convince Gary to use protection.

The clinic is the place to come if you've put yourself

at risk of catching an STI.

-Do you use condoms for oral sex?

-No.

-OK.

But spreading the safe-sex message and making sure each new generation

know they're there is a key part of the clinic's work.

-We've only got one plastic willy.

-No, two.

We've got two plastic willies. Right you are.

With the highest rate of sexual infection amongst 15-24-year-olds,

consultant Margaret and senior nurse Cheryl are on a mission

to a local college.

Try and dispel some of the myths,

like you can't get pregnant the first time,

you can't catch anything if you do it standing up.

Any curious students are free to drop in.

Margaret kicks things off with an STI pop quiz.

We're going to start off with you telling us

about which sexually transmitted infections you know about.

-Chlamydia. That's one of the big ones.

-Think of another one.

-Gonorrhoea.

-Gonorrhoea. Yes.

-Herpes.

-Herpes. Very good.

-Genital warts.

-Warts.

-Crabs.

-Crabs, yes.

Have you heard of scabies?

-AIDS?

-AIDS.

Well done. You've done really well with that.

There's another type of bug called trichomonas vaginalis.

It's like a tiny little thing, you can't see it.

And it swims around in body fluids.

So women get it in their vaginas.

Once familiar with the wide variety of STIs out there,

Cheryl wants to warn them of the weird

and wonderful ways they can be caught.

What I want you to do very quickly as a group

is pair your word with your definition.

Inserting fingers into the anus or vagina.

That's fingering, innit?

-What's shrimping?

-I don't know.

Have you ever shrimped someone?

That's wanking, innit?

-I mean, masturbation.

-Masturbating.

-That's what I mean.

Urinating as part of sexual activity.

-Is that...?

-That might be watersports.

-Yeah.

-Yeah!

Shoes?

Who sticks it in a shoe?

But with one sure-fire way to protect themselves,

practice makes perfect with the trusty johnny.

Put it onto the erect penis and roll it down. OK?

After sex, hold the condom on the base of the penis

so it's not going to come off, and withdraw it.

There you go.

-Done it.

-I'm first.

Well done.

-Can I have one of these?

-Can we take these?

-It glows in the dark.

-It glows in the dark!

'I've learnt more than when we had sex education at school.

'It's taught me more about'

where you can get diseases,

how can they occur, what's safe, what's not safe.

Just general stuff, really.

And for 17-year-old Lauren, the risks haven't put her off sex.

If something does happen, it does happen.

Because I'm not scared about sex. We're old enough now.

Just need to be careful of who I do it with, I guess.

Lauren may plan to be safe in the future,

but things that have happened in her past

mean she's booked herself in for an appointment at the clinic.

Dom and Lucas have been together for a year and a half.

They've recently relocated to Manchester.

Shortly after they started going out,

Dom discovered the devastating news - he'd tested positive for HIV.

But because they're always careful, Lucas remains negative.

Hi. I've been before, but Lucas has come for the first time.

Thank you very much. Cheers.

Last year in the UK, 5,600 people were diagnosed with HIV.

There's roughly a 50/50 split between those infected

through either gay or straight sexual experiences.

It was quite hard to begin with, the whole thought, you know.

You kind of get scared about...

not necessarily touching each other, but you get...maybe.

You do think all the time about every bit of contact.

Is this a risk?

And I would feel responsible if anything ever did happen.

They've come to the clinic today so Lucas can get tested

and Dom can find out if his viral load is undetectable.

Viral load is the term used

to describe the amount of HIV in the blood.

If the results come back undetectable,

it means that Lucas is at a lot less risk

in the general sex activities that we do,

so I think that will help with our anxiety there a lot.

Cos we have made a fresh start in Manchester.

It would be the good news that we would have hoped

that your viral load is down, so...

It's not a load of stress off,

but it takes that little edge off, doesn't it?

Yeah. Definitely.

-Lucas?

-Being undetectable

would mean Dom's body is responding to the drugs

and will help reduce the risk of Lucas catching HIV.

Just come in and take a seat, OK?

I'm going to ask you some personal questions.

-Try not to be offended because we ask everybody the same questions.

-Yeah.

Are you attending clinic today because someone has told you

they have a sexually transmitted infection?

Well, yeah and no.

Yeah. I understand what you're saying.

-So really it would be a yes.

-Yeah, it would be a yes.

-Have you ever had sex with a man?

-Yeah.

-Do you receive anal sex?

-Yeah.

-OK.

And you're definitely not pregnant or breastfeeding?

No.

How long have you been with your partner for?

-A year and a half.

-OK.

-So, he knows your status and everything?

-Yeah.

-Good.

-And you're all right having bloods taken?

-Yeah.

-Good.

-I'm used to it by now.

-Yeah.

-Does your partner get tested regular?

-Yeah.

About every three or four months.

-Good.

-I feel sorry for him.

He'd hardly ever been to get any health checks done before he met me.

Really?

What I need you to do is just put a bit of pressure on that.

-That was probably the best one I've had done.

-Ah, you see!

Thank you very much. It was nice to meet you. OK?

Lucas faces up to a three-day wait for his results to come through.

You take care. Bye-bye.

'He was lovely. A nice young man.'

And he's really sensible.

He knows, he's aware of the risk factors for HIV.

He's got a partner he's been with for just over a year.

They take regular checkups, so, um...

it's positive, really. It's good.

-You're all done.

-OK. Thank you.

-No worries.

-Dom can expect his viral load results in two to three days.

-Thank you.

With so much at stake, both Dom and Lucas face a tense wait.

There is always that worry probably at the back of your mind,

but if that does happen, I know that Dom will be there to support me,

so I know we would get...through it.

Student Lauren has come to the clinic to get herself checked out.

The talk at her college got Lauren thinking about a risk

she took recently in her sex life.

I slept with this guy about a month ago, I think it was.

And he had slept with a girl previously

who's not known for being the cleanest of people.

So I'm quite worried about that.

We were just a bit drunk and it just led onto one thing.

So that's how it really occurred.

She's brought her best mate Sophie along for moral support.

It's all become a bit too close to home after a girl they know

contracted more than one STI.

I couldn't believe it about her.

-We were told how many things she's had already.

-Exactly.

-Is she still sleeping around?

-She probably is.

I think when she has a few drinks, apparently, she's easy.

That's what they all say. So...

-You don't want to be known as the girl who has chlamydia.

-Rough.

And it's not just boys giving them STIs

that Lauren and her friends are wary of.

A lot of people were speaking about how their boyfriends

accidentally put their penis in the anal area

instead of in their front area,

which I think some boys do it on purpose, to be honest.

How can you mistake it from that from that?

-Lauren?

-Yeah.

-Would you like to come through?

-Yeah, sure.

If you want to have a seat there. OK?

-I'm Alison.

-Hiya.

-Hiya.

When's the last time you had sex?

-About a month ago.

-A month ago?

-Yeah.

And was that a casual partner?

I was with someone for a year and a half

and I was sleeping with him without condoms

and I've been tested and we were fine.

I broke up with him and I've only slept with one person after that,

but he slept with someone before that

and I don't know if she's too clean because she's slept around.

So I was a bit worried about that.

Did you use condoms with that partner?

Um...once, but the other time, we didn't, so that's why.

It's not really about being clean or not being clean.

You can sleep with one person and they can give you an infection.

It could happen just like that.

Or you could have lots of sexual partners and not get something.

Or you could. So just make sure you use a condom to protect yourself.

-Say "Ah" for me.

-Ah!

-And again.

-Ah!

While lads wee in a cup, Lauren has to take her own vaginal swab

to test for syphilis or gonorrhoea.

It is all down to risk factors, sexual infections.

You could have sex with one person and get an infection.

It's just anyone who has unprotected sex is at risk of an infection.

I was getting a bit nervous, to be honest.

"Oh, God, what am I going to have to do?"

But it's not actually that bad.

More people should come and do it.

It doesn't entail much, really, does it?

It's easier for guys to do. All they have to do is pee in a pot.

So they definitely should come more.

Lauren will have to wait for up to two nervous weeks before finding out

if her drunken one-night stand has left her with an STI.

Dom was diagnosed HIV positive a year and half ago.

Today, he's come to the clinic to see if his viral load

has become undetectable.

His boyfriend Lucas received his HIV test results via text.

He remains negative.

I suppose it means that we're doing everything right, really.

Um...we're taking every precaution that we can.

We haven't had no mishaps yet, so...

And all my results have come back negative, so all's good, really.

If Dom's viral load is undetectable, it would mean the medication

is successfully helping his body fight the HIV infection

and would be a huge leap forward for their relationship.

It's quite important physically for our sex life and everything.

Any more risk that might have been there by having a bigger infection,

it reduces that risk

and it eases my mind slightly.

I'm hoping it's the right result.

Facing an anxious wait, Lucas reflects on how he felt

when they first found out Dom's HIV diagnosis.

I think I didn't react too much. I think I was just shocked, mainly.

I didn't know how to react to it.

Cos I never met anyone with HIV.

I've never spoke to anyone with HIV. I didn't know much about it.

I just thought HIV turns into AIDS, you die, basically.

So I don't think I was like, "Oh, my God, he's got HIV,

"I can't be in a relationship with someone that's got HIV."

I suppose it did cross my mind at the back,

but I knew we had something strong, so I went with it.

Why did you stand by him?

I suppose...love.

That's all it is. I-I know...

Dom's my first boyfriend and I probably...

I'm not his, but...

There is that love factor, basically.

So if Dom's viral load does go down after this result,

it does mean we can move forward.

So it would be...

..the start that we really need.

Finally, Dom returns with his results.

How did it go?

Er...not the result that we wanted.

My viral load hasn't gone away.

We've got to delay our celebration.

I was expecting this time to be the one where they go,

"We'll see you in six months."

Or whatever they do. But...

Well, it isn't the news we wanted.

While the news could be better, they're remaining optimistic.

Dom's only been on medication for six months

and his viral load is coming down.

It makes us feel like we are a strong couple.

If we can go through that, the bad year that we've had,

right at the start of our relationship,

then we can go through anything.

-Shall we go home?

-Come on, then.

Whilst he's been living with HIV for a year and a half,

not everyone knows about his diagnosis.

But he wants that to change.

He's arranged to meet his mum

to let her know what he's been going through.

I haven't expressly told my family yet.

I've told them that I have a blood condition.

I was worried more that my family will get affected by the stigma,

either themselves or with people talking to them

if they found out that I had HIV.

But I haven't, I haven't used the word,

but that's what I'm going to do pretty soon.

UPBEAT MUSIC

Right, there's your coffees there, and there's the eggs.

After having unprotected sex with a boy she's now unsure about,

Lauren is waiting on the results of her STI tests.

Just to know that I've not got it will be great, obviously,

because you can sleep with about eight people in one week

and not catch it, but you could sleep with one person and then get it.

I think it just depends. You can't really say, to be honest.

It's just how safe you are using a condom.

Lauren's friend Sophie

and her boyfriend Gary are here to lend support.

-SOPHIE:

-I'm going to Kenya, aren't I? >

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

Hiya. It is Lauren.

Eyy!

Thank you.

Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Bye. Bye.

She can properly tell it was all negative.

Yes. I knew it would be. Thank God!

Yeah!

They said it's negative, all of them.

-I knew it would be.

-No surprise.

-I know.

Not exactly like I'm on the street corners every night, is it?

Waiting for someone. I'm pretty happy about that.

Very relieved.

Especially if my mum watches this and she's on TV

and if I was positive, she'd be like, "What!?"

But no, no. I'm glad.

Today it's a training day at the clinic.

This is a practice called taqaandan.

It's basically penile manipulation to achieve detumescence.

Isn't that's just masturbation?

No.

During a break from the consultant-led talks on sexual health,

some of the nurses and healthcare assistants take the opportunity

to do some ad hoc training of their own.

-Morning, girls! ALL:

-Morning!

What we're doing this morning is just a quick teaching session

on how not, and I stress the "not", to be a GUM nurse, OK?

Right.

What can we do for you?

You know, I did have a bit of unprotected sex,

so I think I'm a bit worried about it all.

Unprotected sex. No condom?

-No condom.

-No.

I've actually got a bit of a discharge.

Is it smelly discharge?

Yeah, there is a bit of a strange odour.

LAUGHTER

Right, OK.

'Sessions like this, you know, it is fun,

'but there's also a message behind it.'

We wouldn't judge anybody.

Whatever sexual practice patients have, that's their business.

It's nothing to do with us.

-Any pain during sex?

-No pain during sex.

-Are you still having sex?

-Yeah.

Is that wrong? Should I not be having sex?

I wouldn't if I were discharging, but you know, it's up to you.

That poor patient.

And that's what we don't want to do.

We don't want our patients to come in and be made to feel like that.

It's about having good communication, being non-judgemental,

even if they've got a discharge and there's a bit of a smell.

Adam and Jo are in a brand spanking new relationship.

They've already started having sex with each other

but want to stop using condoms,

so they need to be sure neither of them have any STIs.

I don't know what he's got, he doesn't know what I've got.

I'm 99% sure that everything's going to be OK,

but obviously there's always that slight chance

that something might not be, so I am a little bit nervous,

but I think that's to be expected, to be honest.

Better to be safe than sorry.

-I'm Celia.

-Hi, Celia.

-Love your hair.

Thank you!

All right, hon.

-Have you ever paid for sex?

-No.

-Have you ever been paid?

-No.

Have you ever had sex to your knowledge with a bisexual

or HIV-positive man?

-Bisexual, yes.

-OK.

-Have you ever had sex with a man?

-No.

Have you ever injected drugs or had sex with someone

that has, as far as you know?

As far as I know, no.

So what job do you do?

Erm...

I work as a beautician but I have a rather unusual hobby.

Tell us! What is it?

Erm... I do BDSM and fetish.

-A dominate...

-I'm a dominatrix.

I love stuff like that, me.

-Yes, yes. I get to hit people. It's very good fun.

-So you enjoy it.

Love it. Absolutely love it.

-I can tell on your face anyway.

-It lights up when I talk about it.

-Doesn't your fellow mind?

-Well, I'm trying to slowly introduce him. Yeah.

The world of bondage and S&M can be risky,

but as a consenting adult, it's one that Adam seems keen to explore.

I'm being slowly introduced into the whole world of BDSM,

being slowly brought into it. It's so far working out quite well.

Who knows? Maybe in the future I could be a little bit more into it.

I'm open to it.

-That's a bit of trampling.

-Oh, dear.

Between consenting adults, the risks to health from bondage games

can usually be managed effectively.

Obviously that's my heel on a ball.

But Adam is understandably wary about the threat from STIs

carried in one particular bodily fluid.

The only real thing that would worry me would be the blood, basically.

Obviously, it's transmitted also in your blood.

That would be the only thing that would be of any concern, really.

The rest of it is pretty much...

..comes with the territory.

What's your favourite stuff?

I love caning, whipping, that sort of thing.

I like things that do cause pain.

I do sort of play with needles as well,

where you'll put them through the...

-The torso. Jab them with a needle?

-Yeah, through the nipples or...

Or the willies or the balls.

Because of Jo's special needlework, she needs to be extra careful

when it comes to blood-borne infections like hepatitis and HIV.

But her unusual hobby has tickled Celia.

It's exciting. I like things like that!

I love it. Give them some beating.

Whatever to your fancy, hon, I don't mind.

There you go.

Hopefully we'll be in touch within two weeks,

but it can be a little over at times.

All right? Free to go.

I think Celia was quite sort of taken by the domination.

I think I might have made a new little friend there.

I do like things like that. I'm not going to lie. I do.

Being in charge.

Adam and Jo will find out within a fortnight if either have an STI.

Then it might be safe to dispense with the latex. Of one sort, anyway.

Andrew has an itchy penis. He suspects it might be an STI.

I've come to the clinic today because I have a rash

on my private parts which I need to get checked out.

I do not practice safe sex as much as I should.

I haven't had sex in about five months but my sexual partner

was away for a while, and when she came back

we spent a night in bed together and she wouldn't sleep with me,

but there was skin on skin contact, so I don't know

if I've picked up anything from that.

-You have normal vaginal sex.

-Yes.

-Any oral sex?

-Yes.

-Both ways?

-Yep.

-Any anal sex?

-Yes.

-Just describe exactly where it is.

-It's underneath my foreskin.

It looks scaly.

It's got white sort of lumps and there were red lumps on the head.

I'm not sure whether it was thrush or not,

so I've been dunking my penis in yoghurt.

OK.

Jasmine has come to the clinic after years of unprotected sex

with many different partners.

God Almighty, some of these pictures on this phone!

I'm just looking from the weekend.

The last sexual encounter I had was on Saturday night in Manchester.

It was just someone I bumped into.

Had a few drinks and round the back and how's your father.

It's terrible, isn't it, really?

# Oh, girls just want to have fun. #

In a week's time, Jasmine is due to have a sex change operation,

and desperately needs a clean bill of health if it's to go ahead.

-Is it Jasmine?

-It is.

-Come through, Chuck.

-Thanks!

So you've come for a check-up, have you?

-I have, yes.

-Have you had one before?

-A long, long, long time ago.

-All right.

So in the last three months, how many sexual partners have you had?

-A lot.

-What's a lot?

-62 since January.

-62 since January.

-You know, different sexual encounters.

-OK.

-So, with partners, do you give oral sex?

-Of course.

-And do you receive anal sex?

-I have done, yes.

As in partners, male or female partners?

-I've had both.

-OK.

-Have you ever injected drugs?

-I have, yes.

-And did you share needles and that kind of thing, equipment?

-Yeah.

-Have you had a HIV test before?

-Yes.

-And do you remember when that was and where?

-I think it was in prison.

-When was that then?

-About seven years ago.

-OK.

Six months ago, Jasmine was released from a male prison,

where she did time for a string of burglaries.

She went in as Darren and came out as Jasmine.

But whilst inside, she took some serious risks.

And all your partners born in the UK?

-No, they're not. Uganda.

-Uganda.

-And was it unprotected?

-It was.

-Was it in prison?

-It was.

Jasmine's risky behaviour could have serious consequences

for her gender reassignment surgery in just a few days' time.

How would you feel if you was given a HIV positive result,

-having put yourself at so much risk?

-It's going to devastate me

because my operation's in less than two weeks and obviously it's going

to have a big impact on my operation.

So everything I fought for, everything I wanted,

all my dreams are just going to go pretty much down the Swanee,

which, you know, devastation.

It's until you come to these clinics you suddenly realise,

and it hits you like, "Oh, my God."

With her surgery just days away,

the clinic will rush through the results of Jasmine's full screening.

JASMINE GIGGLES

Just uncross your legs. You're going to have to be very ladylike.

It's like they say, just because you have a vagina

and boobs doesn't make you a lady.

I have got a vagina and I'm not a lady.

-I have never been ladylike ever.

-Exactly.

-All right then.

-Brilliant.

NURSES LAUGH

-Thank you. Bye!

-Bye-bye.

She has taken a lot of risks, like I said to her,

and you can only say, "Look, you're at risk of all these infections.

"How would you feel if you came back HIV-positive?"

"Yeah, it would affect my life

"and I'd be devastated" or whatever.

You can only give the information. Whether they will act on it...

They're adults, so...

It's very nerve-wracking.

To actually get HIV or anything can actually trash the rest of my life.

I've waited 36 years for this operation

and I don't want to lose it.

In less than a week, Jasmine will find out

if her risky behaviour has not only damaged her sexual health,

but also the chances of her operation going ahead as planned.

OK. I'm going to examine your testicles now.

-Let me know if it's tender.

-All right.

Andrew has come to the clinic, worried he may have thrush,

having spent last week dipping his penis in yoghurt.

'When you start getting rashes and showing symptoms of possible STIs,

'it should be a warning that if you've not been having safe sex in the past,'

it's definitely a good idea to start, because it's never too late.

Or maybe it is, but, you know.

I wouldn't be too concerned about it, OK?

I think the most likely thing that rash is small amounts of thrush.

It doesn't look particularly threatening.

If we give you this cream and it all settles down, we'll be quite happy.

Dr James prescribes cream as treatment.

-We'll bring you back in two weeks' time.

-Thank you.

All the best.

So it seems yoghurt wasn't too far off the mark after all.

I didn't know any of my friends who've had thrush

so it's the first time I've actually come across anybody

who has had it and that person is me, so aren't I the lucky one?

Serial online shagger Gary has been waiting for his STI test results.

I got the text back off the clinic to say

that the results are negative,

which means that I haven't got anything, luckily.

But following the good news from the clinic,

Gary got a text from one of his internet sex buddies

which rather took the shine off things.

She basically texted me to say that she needs to speak to me

to come round, and I was trying my best to avoid her

and then she just basically texted me that she was pregnant

because she knew that I wasn't going to come round.

Finding out that she was pregnant is a big shock

and being a dad

is not something that I'm prepared for and what I'm ready for.

Gary is meeting up with his mate Matthew.

Don't try and act funny!

He wants to discuss his baby blues,

but not before filling him in on his latest conquest.

She kept touching my cock and that. I was like, "No, no, no."

I said, "Stop." There was little kids all about. So she carried on.

And then she was like, "We'll wait till we get in the cinema."

Got in the cinema, she started kissing me and that.

She carried on so I thought, "Forget this." I fingered her anyway.

Then she just got on top and started, like, proper sex.

-While people were in front of you?

-Yeah.

-And you was watching Ted?

-Yeah.

Gary has been having unprotected sex

with dozens of girls he barely knows.

I take responsibility for what I've done, but...

She was on the pill, so...

How am I meant to know that this is going to happen?

How am I meant to know that she is going to fall pregnant

when she's on the pill? You don't expect that to happen.

But it's a random girl you just met and she says,

"Yeah, I'm on the pill", you should still wear a johnny.

Yeah, but that just ruins the moment. It does.

There is no moment.

It's just... It's not like you got a candlelit dinner and all that.

-I don't do stuff like that.

-It's just a bang.

But it ruins it, simple as that.

Yeah, but it's either that or ruin your life.

Yeah, I suppose pregnancy, that does ruin things.

AIDS ruins stuff as well.

Yeah, but, the way I see it, if they're telling me

they're on the pill, they ain't going to get pregnant.

If I get chlamydia... Pretty much everyone gets chlamydia. It happens.

It is the most common STI out there.

If I get chlamydia, fair enough, I just take a tablet.

No-one needs to know.

I'm not ashamed to say I had it once. So what?

-I haven't.

-You're not a real man unless you've had chlamydia.

-You're not a real man?

-Unless you've had chlamydia.

-Yeah, but I've had thrush. What does that make me?

-Not a man.

Having chlamydia actually makes Gary a serious threat to

the sexual health and future fertility

of anyone he has unprotected sex with.

Not something his mum would approve of.

-Have you even told your mum yet?

-No, I haven't said anything to her,

but you know what my mum is like.

She calls me Dirty Dick. That's my mum's nickname.

To be honest, I know she's going to be annoyed with me

and I know she's going to have a go at me,

but at the same time, I think she's already expecting it.

She already thinks I got ten kids dotted around.

Later on, Gary will find out exactly what his mum thinks

when he spills the beans about what's been going on.

Jealous of you?

Dom was diagnosed with HIV in late 2010.

It's taken him a while to come to terms with,

and there's one important person he's yet to tell he's HIV positive.

I'm just on the way to see my mother to tell her about

what I've been going through and my condition.

A little bit nervous but, you know, we'll see how it goes.

It's a difficult conversation to have, but Dom knows

that being HIV-positive isn't the life sentence that it used to be.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-All right. OK. You?

He's keen to make sure his mum understands

what he's been going through.

You know I've been ill for a while.

I've just decided that I'm going to come open to everyone and...

I've actually got...

I've actually got HIV.

-I don't know if you'd worked it out.

-I thought you had.

So...

I wanted you to tell me cos I knew you would eventually.

I have to take a daily lot of tablets.

It's been... I've been taking them since January.

I'm never going to get rid of it, but with the treatment,

the treatment keeps the virus from multiplying, keeps it down.

You must have been really angry with somebody passing it on to you.

At the end of the day, it's not another person's responsibility

to look after your own health in any sense, especially sexual health.

It's your own responsibility.

So, you know...

If anybody, I'd be angry at myself for being silly at some point.

I'm even stronger now, cos of having to go through,

like any people that go through a drama,

I come out the other side fine and everybody gets stronger.

We can all be strong and carry on as normal.

-Well, we'll do that.

-Mmm.

Dom's mum is relieved her son has had the courage

to tell her about his condition.

I am relieved in a way, but I did suspect that that's what it was.

But I wanted him to tell me himself.

The positive approach he's got on it is really helpful as well.

And for Dom, a bright outlook on his future with Lucas

is the only way forward.

It feels like a massive weight off my shoulders now.

I've been debating, telling people for over a year now,

and I know now it's definitely the right thing to have done.

There's no stopping me now.

I've been through bad times but I'm positive and I'm positive.

There's one STI that takes up more of the staff's time than any other.

Can I just pull this back? Is that OK? All right.

The virus that causes warts can be carried for years without symptoms.

But when they do make their appearance,

there's no mistaking them.

It's a genital wart. Have you heard of those?

-DISGUISED MALE VOICE: Oh, never.

-Never. OK.

Genital warts are from skin to skin contact.

It's a skin virus and obviously,

if you're having sex with somebody and you got to skin to skin contact,

that's how the transmitted,

and if you got close genital contact, that's how it's passed on.

One of a range of treatments for genital warts

is removal by freezing.

And an enormous tank of liquid nitrogen is kept locked up outside

the clinic for exactly this purpose.

When you're ready, you just say.

I haven't done it for a while.

The minus 320 degree gas is decanted into small canisters.

In the staff's expert hands,

it's the perfect weapon against warts.

The idea is to get it accurately

on the wart itself and it kills it

and that will help it just to burn

and drop off, basically.

However, not everyone at the clinic has a license to freeze.

I don't do the freezing. The sister or the doctor does it.

I would actually love to do it myself, love. Burn them away.

Jasmine is at home.

She's yet to discover her test results

ahead of her sex change operation.

-It's not very clean, is it?

-No, it's dirty.

-Probably a bit like my sex life.

-You said it, dear.

JASMINE CHORTLES

She stays in a suburban semi with her two adopted mums,

Jenny Ann and Ellen.

Come on, Jas. Lunch is ready.

What are you doing tomorrow, dear?

-I've got to go and get my results.

-You are, eh?

-Yeah, course I am.

It's one of those things, what do I do?

You know, it's like, obviously my operation on Monday and I'll see

if I've caught anything, then it's going to put my operation back.

'When I became Jasmine, the rest of my family didn't want to have

'anything to do with me as such,'

but obviously, when I got in contact with Jenny Ann then Ellen,

it's like they've just loved me.

We've just grown together as a family.

If you're not careful you'll get a reputation,

and that can be a real bar to you getting involved

in a serious relationship.

If you are known as the easy girl around town...

Jasmine's operation is only days away.

It will put right a problem that's blighted her whole life.

When I was first born, the nurse turned round to my mum

and they said, "Congratulations, you got a little girl."

Then, all of a sudden, they was like, "Hang on a second,

"you've actually got a boy!"

My genitalia hadn't really formed properly,

so obviously, it was like in between a vagina and a very small penis.

It's been terrible because the penis part isn't really big enough.

Obviously the vagina part isn't you know, very workable

at the best of times, so obviously it left me in a situation

where it was like, sexual life was pretty much non-existent.

For Jasmine, the big day can't come quickly enough.

I'll tell you something, I can't wait.

Absolutely excited, because it's like, you know,

I've waited all these years and it's a dream come true.

What am I going to do if I've got hepatitis or AIDS, HIV?

Your behaviour has been very risky.

You know, some of the people I've been sleeping with,

I've been having proper hardcore sex with them.

-Some of them have been drug users.

-So, penetrative...

-Yeah.

You don't understand. The sex is proper dirty sex.

Not like you and Mum, you know,

just having a bit of a canoodle or what have you.

The fact is, it's like anal sex and giving them a blow job afterwards.

-It's not exactly good, is it?

-No, it isn't.

It's like with these tests, if they come back positive,

-the fact is, that's going to put my surgery off.

-Almost certainly, yes.

Yeah, I know. Exactly. And I'm really concerned.

I can't keep waiting any longer, you know. It's driving me crazy.

How likely do you think it is there's something wrong?

Do you think it's more likely the test will be positive?

Yeah, I've got a funny feeling there is going to be positive.

Because it's like, you know,

my immune system's been quite low anyway and it's like, you know,

some of the activities I been up to

haven't exactly been the best things since sliced bread, have they?

-No.

-Do you know something? You don't half give me some lectures.

I know, but I'm your mum, dear.

-We care about you, Jas.

-I know.

It has been a long two-week wait for Adam and Jo's results

from the clinic but now they've finally come through.

I got my results earlier on today.

"Your most recent test results from MCSH are negative."

Which was obviously really, really good to hear.

And Adam's had the all-clear too. Which might be a mixed blessing.

-I'd like to up the ante.

-Well, there we are, maybe even up the ante.

Will you not run off this time?

-Go, "Argh, I'm not doing that."

-It's scary stuff.

These two lovebirds are now free to do whatever they want

so long as Adam gives the thumbs-up.

Several weeks ago, online sex addict Gary

discovered he got a girl pregnant

after a night of unprotected casual sex.

But he has had some shocking news through from the girl.

'I have been texting the girl that told me she was pregnant

'and she was thinking about keeping it but she has found out'

recently that she has actually miscarried it.

Obviously, I was upset the fact that it has happened

because it was my, obviously, it was my fault why it happened

and I'd never want a girl to go through that

but then on the opposite side, I was happy

because I know that none of us are ready for it

and that it wouldn't be cared for.

Despite living with his mum, up to now

he's told her nothing about the pregnancy of the miscarriage.

I don't really know how to put it.

I got someone pregnant not long ago.

-Am I allowed to ask who?

-Hm?

-Am I allowed to ask who?

Cos you don't know them.

She's lost it anyway.

I'm just absolutely gobsmacked you've just told me.

She must be devastated

that you're not there to support her emotionally.

I don't know. I just...

tried cutting contact with her

so obviously I've stopped speaking to her

so I've just let her deal with it on her own.

That's not good. I've been through that. I've been there, Gary.

Right, well, I've just like... I don't know.

I don't really see what I can do. She's got her mum there for her

so I don't really know what I can say to her.

-You're playing such a risky game, son.

-I know it is.

To be honest, it has made me think and it has put it in perspective.

Obviously because my attitude on, like, STDs was just, well,

if I get something little, it's a tablet to get rid of it.

I suppose with a baby it's completely and utterly different, isn't it?

But obviously she's lost it, anyway.

-I have learnt from it and I know it won't happen again.

-I hope not.

It won't.

I love you millions.

Just don't get upset.

-Are you OK?

-Yes.

-I love you.

'I'm hoping he's learnt by it'

and hopefully won't relapse

back into that. I'm hoping he grows up a bit now

and actually comes to a bit of sense about what life's all about, really,

and what could happen, what potentially could happen

if he carried on just hopping, bed hopping.

'It has been a bit of an emotional ride

'and a bit of a rollercoaster but I know what I need to do'

and I know to control my ways and I know what I need to do

in order to do that and to start behaving and be good, really.

With her sex change surgery hanging in the balance,

Jasmine is nervous about her test results.

I'm actually trying not to think of the worst, if possible,

but the chances are the worst could actually be there.

-Jasmine.

-Hi.

-Hiya, you all right?

-Yeah, fine, thank you.

Is that your magazine, chuck?

-Certainly is. Well, it's not mine, it's yours.

-Is it? Put it back then.

-I stuck it back on the chair.

-Are you all right?

It's been a long week, hasn't it?

For Jasmine, everything is riding on these results.

OK, so, your results.

-Yeah.

-Have you been worrying?

-Of course.

-Oh.

-I'm stressed.

-OK, so, let me just tell you.

I'll put you out of your misery. Everything's absolutely fine.

-Thank you.

-It's OK.

-Thanks very much.

-So, you are very lucky.

I'm just sweating buckets now. Getting rid of the relief.

Because, I mean, you have had real risky behaviour

-over the last six months.

-I know, yeah. Proper dirty sex.

It's been a really big scare for me and I'm really, you know,

glad that these, you know,

results have came back negative cos it's been worrying and stressful.

With everything over the last six months and everything,

you've been really quite lucky with these results so far.

How you go on now is really important, yeah?

Just protection all the time. Yeah?

-Thank you.

-All right, chuck.

-Thanks, babes.

I feel absolutely relieved now, you know.

I feel like I've got a lot of weight off my shoulders,

my surgery can go ahead

and, obviously, I'm just so ecstatic at the moment.

Plus the fact is I haven't got to go around telling people

that I actually passed a disease on to them or anything, you know,

any sexual disease.

It's, you know, the feeling I've got is great relief.

But nurse Lisa is worried that

if Jasmine doesn't start being more sensible,

her luck is going to run out.

Well, she's going to get caught at some stage or other.

If you are having unprotected sex

you're going to get caught at some stage.

You're going to get an infection, which is not very nice.

Can't be there putting the condom on for them!

So, it's going to be down to her.

At the end of every clinic day when the patients have left...

See you later.

..there is one job nobody volunteers for.

I'm going to discard the urine

and then throw the empty jars in the contamination bin.

Today, nurse Chris has drawn the short straw.

Every day, depending on how many we get.

It's for safety, really.

The same will happen tomorrow, the next day

and for as long as people have unsafe sex.

The never-ending fight against STIs continues.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd