Respect your needs and insist that others respect your needs too. Having sex is a decision that you and your partner should make together. [2] X Research source

Some tips for countering peer pressure include spending time with friends who are like-minded when it comes to sex and always having a backup plan should you find yourself in a situation where you feel pressured.

Preventing pregnancy. [4] X Research source Possessing religious reasons. [5] X Research source Going against personal beliefs. [6] X Research source Ensuring legality. [7] X Research source Preventing a STI (sexually transmitted infection). [8] X Research source Needing more emotional connection. Wanting a committed relationship. [9] X Research source Making sure each person is monogamous. [10] X Research source Knowing that all partners are STI-free. [11] X Research source Needing to build safety and trust. [12] X Research source Feeling that it’s not the right time for you. [13] X Research source Not wanting to have sex with someone. [14] X Research source

If your partner says, “If you loved me, you would. " A good response to this would be “If you loved me, you wouldn’t want me to do something I’m not ready to do. " If your partner says, “Everyone else is doing it,” you can say, “I’m part of everybody, and I’m not having sex. " Learn the common lines people use to try to get sex. [15] X Research source Be prepared with statements you can make to counter them. [16] X Research source

If you’re together but not physically intimate, you can say, “I really like being with you. See, we don’t need to have sex for our time together to be special. I’m not ready for sex, and I like things just the way they are. " If you’re talking on the phone, you could say, “I don’t want to have sex now. I’m not ready. I don’t need to have sex with you to show you that I care for you. Sex doesn’t necessarily mean no to other kinds of intimacy. There are other ways to show you I care. “[17] X Research source

Tell them what you do want as well as what you don’t want. This helps them know the ways you want to be close to them. You have several reasons as to why you don’t want to have sex, such as fear of pregnancy or not wanting to betray your moral and/or religious beliefs. But you will have to communicate your reasons properly rather than simply saying, “I’m not ready”.

If a person responds positively and respectfully to you saying what you want and don’t want to do, then that’s a good sign. You’re on the road to having a healthy relationship with that person. On the other hand, if your partner is disrespectful, tries to manipulate you, or keeps pressuring you to have sex, then this is a sign that they’re more interested in getting their own needs met than they are about engaging in a balanced, healthy relationship. It’s important to learn more about what to look for in a partner. [20] X Research source It’s also just as important to know what healthy relationships look like. [21] X Research source

Only meet them in public. Make sure you’re not being followed. Ask trusted friends or family to help. Have a safety plan. [22] X Research source

There are many people out there who will also respect your needs and boundaries and with whom you can find intimacy. Those are the relationships worth having. [25] X Research source