An American college student walks into a class of 15 fellow students.  Chances are, only four of those students have never had sex.

According to national statistics, approximately 70 percent of American college students are sexually active.   

“I don’t think that Belmont is any different from any college campus anywhere,” said Belmont Counseling Services director Peg Leonard-Martin.  “We’re not isolated from these issues.”

Many students at Belmont seem to agree – and they agree in a manner that suggests they look at human sexuality with maturity and respect for others’ choices.

Sophomore John Roden sees sex as something Belmont “sweeps under the carpet and keeps hidden from everybody.”

But that’s not an easy task.

“Look at the people who are going here.  We are teenagers and adults ranging from 18 to 24,” he said.  “To believe that a guy or a girl isn’t going to be engaging in sexual activity in a place where they’re almost completely out of the eyes of their parents and authority figures, that’s just gullibility.  I think Belmont should honestly be more open.”

According to Belmont Health Services director Katy Wilson, dialogue about sexual issues in a college atmosphere is important. “I think you can teach young people a lot about their bodies without encouraging them to be sexually active,” she said.

Junior Alaina Reagan agrees that dialogue is important, but she doesn’t see it happening at Belmont, where she knows many students are already sexually active.

 “I think more people are having sex than is believed,” she said.  “I think people are hiding it because they think they’ll be judged.”

Leonard-Martin wants to dispel that myth.  “Not one of the therapists here would ever presume to judge a student, no matter what their gender, sexual identity, religious affiliation, or race,” she said. 

That professional practice is also true of Belmont Health Services, an enormously helpful resource for sexual health problems when students are aware of the services it offers. 

“We offer a lot of good services,” Wilson said. “We can do STD testing, we offer the Gardisil HPV vaccine, as well as the Hepatitis B vaccine.  We’re big on prevention here.”

According to a 2005 estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 19 million people newly infected with an STD every year, nearly half are 15-24.

The health center, which saw 4,800 students last year, is equipped to test for HIV, Hepatitis B, Chlamydia and gonorrhea.

A blood and lesion test for herpes and a test for syphilis are also available, but Wilson said these tests are rarely done.  

“We also do pregnancy tests,” Wilson said.  “People who are pregnant and don’t mean to be – that’s an emotional issue – need a lot of support.”

The health center does not write prescriptions for birth control pills or provide any contraceptives, but Wilson still stresses the importance of sexual education among college students.

“I see lots of students who just need a consult visit,” said Wilson, explaining that it is not unusual for students to make appointments to ask about health issues they are confused about. 

Wilson is in the process of designing an updated health center Web site, which will include a page of links to informational articles on every aspect of health.  It will also include a section with printable information pamphlets.

  Wilson suggests WebMD.com, CDC.gov, and the American College Health Association Web site for more accurate sexual health information.  

The health center is also able to make referrals for a number of issues, including sexual problems. 

“We have come to know lots of people in the medical community, so we compiled a list of people to refer to in all specialty areas,” Wilson said.  “We will help you get through the red tape and facilitate those appointments the best we can.”

Wilson said she also refers students struggling with the emotional aspects of sexuality to counseling services. 

    Leonard-Martin is accustomed to providing advising to any Belmont student confronting sexual issues.

    “We have a fair amount of students who really struggle with values in sexual experiences,” she said.  “They leave home with a certain set of values, come to college, and sometimes it feels like everything’s turned upside down.”

Counselors at Belmont are prepared to help students with issues including relationship violence, confusion over sexual identity, facing an STD diagnosis and coping with a first sexual experience.

    “Individuals who’ve had their first sexual experience and end up with HPV or another STD, they’re devastated, they’re terrified,” Leonard-Martin said.  “I really collaborate with the health center on these cases.”

    Counseling services also regularly help students facing instances of date and acquaintance rape.

    “We’ll support them through any stage of that,” she said.  “We see a fair amount of students who struggle.”

    Some Belmont students express concern, however, that their sexual issues with Belmont counselors may not remain confidential, especially if they mention a policy on sexual conduct they have violated, such as homosexual behavior or pre-marital sex on campus.

     “Everything is absolutely confidential,” countered Leonard-Martin.  “The only time confidentiality has to be broken is if a student is a danger to themselves and possibly to others.” All students are given a sheet explaining their rights before their first counseling services.

    Johnston confirmed this confidentiality policy, noting that health services and counseling services are entirely separate from student conduct processes.

     The first responsibility of Belmont counselors is the well-being of Belmont students.

    “Whatever they are struggling with, we are going to help them,” Leonard-Martin said. “I cannot imagine abandoning a student dealing with a possibly controversial issue.

 “Someone’s sexual history or sexual experience is protected right along with any other aspect of a human being’s life.”