Everyone needs to know about their bodies and health, no matter what language they speak. That’s why RFSU has created videos about the body, sex and relationships for those who do not speak Swedish.
There are 17 videos about things that are good to know in order to take care of yourself and your health. You will learn about your body: for example, about menstruation, pregnancy and giving birth. We describe how you can enjoy sex, avoid sexually transmitted diseases and what you can do if having sex causes pain.
You will also find information about sexual violence, honour and genital mutilation. And you will learn where to turn for medical care, advice and support.
Menstruation is bleeding from the vagina, which happens to girls and women every month. In this video you’ll learn what menstruation is, what kinds of menstrual protection you can use and what you can do if you have pain during your period. You will also get information about what time of the month you can get pregnant.
The video about contraceptives explains what you can do if you want to be able to have sex without getting pregnant. There are several ways to protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy, for example birth control pills (“the pill”) and intrauterine devices (IUDs). You can also use condoms, which protect both against unwanted pregnancies and diseases that are spread by sexual contact.
The video about abortion explains what you can do if you are pregnant but do not want to have a baby. Abortion means terminating a pregnancy. In Sweden everyone has the right to an abortion until the end of week 18. It is possible to have an abortion later than that, but you will need special reasons. Having an abortion is not dangerous, and you can get pregnant and have children even if you have had an abortion in the past.
The video about pregnancy explains how you get pregnant and what days of the month you can become pregnant. You will learn to recognise the signs that you are pregnant, such as tender breasts, nausea or that you don’t have a period. You will also get information about what you can do if you want to stop being pregnant and have an abortion.
The video about giving birth is about how the process of having a baby works in Sweden, from the beginning of labour pains until the baby is born. You will learn how to prepare and what help you can get before the delivery if you are circumcised/have been subjected to genital mutilation. You will also get information on how a caesarean section is done.
The period after giving birth is often a huge adjustment, both physically and mentally. In this video you learn what happens in your body after giving birth, how you can ease any problems you have and where you can turn if you have problems after having a baby.
The video on female genitals shows what the vulva and vagina look like and how they work. You will also learn what happens in your genitals when you are sexually aroused, what female genital mutilation or circumcision means, and how the genitals change over a lifetime.
The video on male genitals shows what the penis and scrotum look like and how they work. You will learn what male circumcision is and how the genitals change over a lifetime. You will also learn where to turn if you have difficulty getting an erection and what the cause might be.
Puberty is the time when your body changes from a child to an adult. You develop hair around your genitals and you start thinking more about sex. Girls get their first period and boys have their first ejaculation. This means that you can get pregnant or get someone pregnant. In this video you learn how your body and feelings change in puberty and where you can turn if you have questions or concerns.
Menopause is the period when a woman stops getting periods and can no longer get pregnant. This video describes what happens to your body and your mood during menopause. You’ll also learn how to ease common problems. for example if you sweat a lot or experience vaginal dryness.
The video about sexually transmitted infections tells about diseases that can be transmitted via sex, such as chlamydia, herpes and HIV. You will learn how various diseases and infections are spread and how you can protect yourself by using a condom. You will also learn where to turn to get tested to see if you have a sexually transmitted infection.
The video about desire and pleasure is about how you can have good sex with others. You will learn about the clitoris and other parts of the body that are sensitive to touch. You will also learn how you can masturbate and have sex with yourself.
The video about when sex hurts tells what you can do if it hurts to have intercourse, or sex. You will also learn possible causes of the pain, for example that you don’t want to have sex or aren’t aroused and wet enough. There are also diseases that can cause pain during sex.
The video about the vaginal corona shows what the opening of the vagina looks like. There is no such thing as a hymen that covers the opening of the vagina. Instead, we call it the vaginal corona. It is not true that a woman always bleeds the first time she has sex, and it is not possible to look at the vagina and see if a woman has had sex or not.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), or circumcision, means removing or damaging parts of a girl’s or woman’s genitals. It is illegal in Sweden and in many other countries. This video explains about different types of genital mutilation and what kinds of problems it can lead to. You will also learn where to turn for help if you have been subjected to FGM.
This video is about honour-related violence and oppression. This is when family members control someone else’s body, sexuality and life. Sometimes this occurs through threats, violence and coercion. It can mean that you are not allowed to have relationships with whoever you want or sex before marriage. You will also learn about what Swedish law says and where you can turn for help.
Sexual violence means doing something sexual against someone’s will, for example having sex with someone who doesn’t want to. The video about sexual violence tells you how a person might react during and after a rape, and where you can turn if you have been raped. You will also learn what Swedish law says.