Sexual Health Week 2026 takes place from the 14th to the 20th September!
This week is Sexual Health Week, and this year’s focus is on the importance of authentic connections.
Our relationships and connections can have a huge impact on our sexual health and wellbeing. Healthy connections should give us space to communicate openly, understand our boundaries, make informed choices and feel safe asking for support when we need it.
But making and maintaining those connections isn’t always straightforward. Dating apps and social media have changed how many of us meet and communicate, creating new opportunities to connect while also bringing new challenges.
Staying safe when connecting online
An issue being highlighted during Sexual Health Week is sextortion, where someone threatens to share another person’s intimate images, videos or information, often in an attempt to demand money or further sexual content.
For young people, the fear, embarrassment and shame surrounding sextortion can make asking for help particularly difficult.
Brook’s recent article, What sextortion offenders hope young people never hear, highlights an important message, if a young person has shared an intimate image and something has gone wrong, they need empathy and support, not judgement.
Having a trusted adult, friend or professional to turn to can make a huge difference.
Connection and our sexual health
Authentic connection also means feeling able to have open and honest conversations about our sexual health.
That might mean talking about consent and boundaries with a partner, knowing your HIV status, accessing condoms, finding out more about PrEP and PEP, or simply having somewhere you can ask questions without judgement.
At Brunswick, we offer free, rapid and confidential HIV testing at drop-in sessions across Calderdale and Kirklees, including sessions where full sexual health screenings are also available. If you can’t make one of our drop-ins, you can also contact us to arrange an HIV test.
Upcoming testing sessions:
Thursday 24th September 2026, 6pm to 8pm at Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub, Burnley Road, Todmorden, OL14 79B, in Room 110-1 PEX, no appointment needed just drop in.
Monday 28th September 2026, from 6pm to 8pm at our Halifax office – Voluntary and Community (VAC) Hall Street, Halifax HX1 5AY, press buzzer 6. Full sexual health screenings also available at this session.
Learn more:
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
PrEP is medication that you take to stop yourself from getting HIV.
Find Out More
Condoms
Condoms are the best way of preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. They can also protect against unwanted pregnancy.
Find Out More