Orgies, gang bangs, group sex: getting your sexual health ready

Why talk about it specifically?

An orgy or gang bang means several partners in a short time: every contact is a chance for transmission, and an STI caught one night can spread through a whole network within weeks. For the bottom in a gang bang, repeated penetration also irritates the lining. Sexosafe (Santé publique France) sums it up: a gang bang calls for protection (condoms, PrEP or TasP), generous lubrication and paying attention to discomfort.

Before the party

• PrEP: if you’re HIV-negative, it’s the most reliable HIV protection for group sex (PrEP). Remember the 2–24 h pre-dose if you use on-demand PrEP.
• Vaccines up to date: hepatitis A and B, HPV, and mpox (2 doses), recommended by Sexosafe for men with several partners (vaccines).
• Personal kit: condoms, your own lube, gloves if fisting, towel, water.
• Clear limits: what you want and don’t want. If you’re hosting, state the rules (condoms or not, chems or not, safeword).

During

1. Plenty of lube, topped up: it protects the lining and stops condoms breaking.
2. A new condom for each partner; never the same one from one ass to another.
3. Individual gloves and lube for fisting: everyone their own gloves, their own tub (Sexosafe).
4. Toys: one condom per partner (sex toys).
5. Listen to your body: pain or bleeding = pause.
6. Consent: every participant, every time. Someone asleep, unresponsive or very high can’t consent (consent).

What about chems?

Group sex and chemsex often go together. Sexosafe recommends having water and sugary drinks, avoiding mixes, never leaving someone who feels unwell alone, and calling emergency services (15 or 112 in France) if someone loses consciousness. See GHB: the rules.

After the party

• HIV risk (no PrEP, broken condom): PEP within 48 hours.
• A full check-up (throat, anus, urine, blood) about 2 to 3 weeks later, then HIV at 6 weeks if not on PrEP.
• Watch for symptoms: discharge, sores, rash, fever, diarrhoea, itching (symptoms).
• If you have an STI, tell the host or the participants you can reach, even anonymously.