Chemsex

Chemfidential is a free and confidential service which is designed to offer support for those who may need some support relating to chems or Chemsex (18 + service).

We work with everyone individually to assist in making the choices or changes that are right for you, whether you are looking to either, do things more safely, cut down or take a break, or stop altogether. Support may include:

• Sexual health concerns
• Planning and support around reducing or stopping chemsex.
• Support around playing more safely
• PrEP advice, monitoring and support
• Consent and setting boundaries
• Access to counselling or sexual or domestic violence services
• Access to drugs services
• Access to safer injecting packs
• Awareness of chems and their effects
• What to do in an emergency
• FREE condoms, lube, gloves & dams

Chemfidential operates on a drop-in basis in a safe judgement-free space, with direct access and referral to other professional services.

Call the sexual health team six days a week on 0121 643 0821 for more information, or e-mail us at sexualhealth@blgbt.org

Chemfidential is run by Birmingham LGBT and supported by Umbrella sexual health services.

Some of the most common risks or harms associated with Chemsex can be to our sexual health.

Here are links to some of our sexual health services and information:

• Options to get tested 6 days a week
• Our Sexual Health Clinics
• About PrEP
• About HIV
• About Hepatitis C
• About STI’s 
• Free Condoms, Lube & Gloves

Please call us 6 days a week if you need any other information 0121 643 0821

Chemsex First Aid

Chemsex First Aid is a 20 page PDF booklet that covers general First Aid practices for some specific chemsex-related emergencies. (Produced by David Stuart and Ignacio Labayen De Inza – Sep 2018).

It includes information on how to make judgement calls, and when not to, when to call an ambulance, as well as some tips to help avoid some of the most common emergencies that can happen in chemsex environments.

This guide is not a comprehensive harm reduction resource. The booklet focuses on emergencies and First Aid that might be applied in them.

The booklet is divided into 4 sections:

1. GHB, GBL related emergencies
2. Crystal methamphetamine and mephedrone/3MMC/4MMC/cathenone related emergencies
3. Other emergencies that can happen in chemsex environments
4. A summary of First Aid Situations

View or download – Chemsex First Aid booklet

There have been a number of cases in recent years focussing on the death and sexual assault of gay/bi men by other other gay men, involving the use of hook up apps and chemsex. We hope that knowing your rights and responsibilities within the law could help you stay safer.

Consent

When we talk about consent, what we mean is that:

• You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.

AND

• You shouldn’t make anyone do anything they don’t want.

Agreeing to meet up with someone via an app, going to a sex/cruise bar or going to chemsex party/chillout does not mean you are agreeing to whatever anyone else wants to do. You have to work it out as you go along. And the law says you can change your mind at any point.

The law says to be able to consent to sex you must have the capacity to consent.

If you are asleep, unconscious or so out of it that you can’t make a decision for yourself then you cannot consent. Whatever anyone does to you while you’re in this state is done without your consent and that makes it a crime.

Consent has to be freely given. If you are threatened or coerced into saying yes, then you are not giving your consent freely. This can invalidate your ‘yes’ and may mean the person/people having sex with you are committing a crime.

Taking advantage of someone because they are ‘out of it’ or unsure, vulnerable or inexperienced is not okay – it’s a crime.

If you are not sure if someone is consenting, stop, wait, talk, listen and think
http://www.dowhatyoubothwant.com/consent/

If bad stuff happens to you, it’s not your fault

People who are sexually assaulted often ask themselves if it was their fault or whether they could have done something different to prevent being assaulted. It is very important to be clear: it is not your fault. No one has the right to take advantage of an intimate situation to hurt you.

If you’re taking drugs/chems, having sex with a lot of guys, accidently over-dosing, experienced or new to the apps/chemsex/gay scene, none of that gives someone else the right to take advantage of the situation to sexually assault you – or commit any other crimes, like robbery, filming you without consent or blackmailing you.

Speak up if you’ve been sexually assaulted

If you’ve been sexual assaulted by someone you met via an app, or you’re confused about what happened to you, don’t feel you need to keep quiet about it. Specialist independent advice is available:

Everyone is entitled to call 999 if they are in danger or have just been a victim of crime.

Specialist Support Services:

Chemfidential: Speak in confidence to one of our Chemfidential staff. Tel 0121 643 0821 (6 days a week) and we can assist you to access the relevant support.

RSVP Birmingham offer specialist support via their LGBT ISVAs (Independent Sexual Violence Advocates) if you are lesbian, gay, bi or trans and have ever experienced rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse at any point in your life. This service is delivered from RSVP and within Birmingham LGBT centre.

Horizon Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) provides medical, practical and emotional support. They can also perform forensic examinations (see below). If the assault was within the last seven days – or longer if you have visible injuries, e.g. bruising – a forensic examination can be arranged (forensic evidence can be collected and stored by the SARC to give you more time to decide whether you want to report to the police). You do not have to report to the police if you attend the SARC. It is your choice. Specially trained staff at the SARC can give you further information to help you to decide. They will support you whatever you decide. You can call the Horizon 24-hour phone line on 0808 168 5698.

Survivors UK supports men who have experienced sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape – whenever it happened. Supporting men across the UK with online support (face to face services in London only).

Galop is a LGBT anti-violence organisation and has experience working with gay/bi men who have experienced sexual assault in a chemsex context, including around reporting options. Support is independent, confidential and free.

When we talk about Chemsex we are most often referring to a planned meet-up involving the ‘unholy trinity’ of drugs: Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth or Tina), Mephedrone (M Cat) and Gammahydroxybutrate (GHB).

The below links to information on these chems and other drugs give health and legal information:

• GHB / GBL
• Mephedrone / M-Cat
• Crystal Meth / Tina
• Alcohol
• Cocaine
• Ketamine

A-Z drugs list.

Birmingham LGBT is not a drug support organisation, however we work in conjunction with CGL – Birmingham’s drug & alcohol support organisation and can access direct support from them and make referrals for drug or alcohol support where necessary.