Their date had been planned for a week. The plan was simple - dinner on State Street and a movie back at his place. As the night went on and things progressed, she asked him if he had a condom. After digging through pockets and wallets, they realized neither had brought protection.
Situations like this can ruin any romantic evening. Being prepared and knowing what birth control services are available are not only important facts for planning purposes; they can keep awkward moments out of romantic nights.
UW-Madison students are exposed to vast opportunities and services in the form of academics and social structures. However, when it comes to birth control, a dichotomy arises between awareness of services and what UW-Madison and its surrounding community really provide.
According to UW-Madison sophomore Jenn Bentley, students in Madison have a skewed idea of what types of birth control are actually available and how expensive each type is.
I think the opinion on campus is that condoms are easy and cheap, and the pill is not as easy or cheap, especially not as cheap,"" she said.
UW-Madison senior Amber Smith, who pays about $60 per month for hormonal birth control at a private clinic, said she never knew of a cheaper way of getting birth control.
""I've always heard that you have to jump through hoops and fill out a lot of paperwork to get free birth control,"" Smith said. ""I'm a senior and I never found out if it was easy.""
Smith added that she uses this method because her family has a history of endometriosis, which is regulated by hormonal methods.
UW-Madison junior Heidi Braunreiter knows Smith's frustration, and felt nervous about finding information about inexpensive birth control.
""It was scary because I was by myself, but I feel a lot safer now,"" she said, regarding finding inexpensive birth control.
Braunreiter eventually sought out birth control services on her own and was surprised at the ease of this process.
""Most students think it's hard and complicated to get free birth control, but when I went to Planned Parenthood, it was really easy,"" she said. ""I only had to fill out a few sheets of paperwork.""
Information from campus groups
Some campus groups such as Sex Out Loud emphasize safe sex to students through programs and demonstrations.
""[We] promote healthy sexuality through sex-positive education and activism,"" Ariel Trangle, program coordinator of Sex Out Loud, said.
Sex Out Loud, however, focuses less on hormonal birth control and more on barrier methods that are readily available to students.
According to Trangle, although Sex Out Loud does not have a specific birth control program, there is one in development. It will include prescription birth control, barrier methods, over-the-counter methods and sterilization.
Until that happens, Trangle detailed, they will continue to answer questions about birth control at each program. They focus on condoms and sex dams because barrier methods are able to protect against sexually transmitted diseases, and are the only methods that are able to do that.
Services on campus
UW-Madison sophomore Erin Bannen said getting free birth control in Madison is extremely easy.
""There is a bowl outside of the Women's Center that is always there. You do not have to look at anyone when you take condoms, so I think that helps ease anxiety,"" Bannen said.
But the Women's Center is not the only on-campus location that emphasizes barrier methods more than hormonal birth control. The LGBT CC and University Health Services offer free condoms to anyone who comes into their offices, and Sex Out Loud gives them away after every program it provides.
Students who are not satisfied with only using barrier methods must look elsewhere to find other, more permanent forms of birth control. Most of these students turn to UHS first for these medical needs. UHS's website states that prescription birth control is available only with an appointment.
Kathy Kuhnen, manager of the UHS Women's Clinic, explained that UHS provides access to birth control services including prescription birth control pills, the patch, Nuvaring, Depo Provera injections, IUDs and Implanon, as well as over the counter items such as condoms.
Kuhnen also clarified that any UW student can go to UHS for a free exam, Pap smear and lab work, as these services are paid for by tuition fees.
The free services offered by UHS can be used by anyone on campus, and used with hormonal services, or just as preventative measures.
""In my first Pap smear I had potential cancer cells, so hormonal birth control helps reduce those risk factors,"" Smith said.
""The cost of the prescription either is paid out of pocket, paid by their personal health insurance, or they can sign up for the Family Planning Waiver Program and get their birth control for free,"" Kuhnen said.
Another site that offers birth control services, Planned Parenthood, has three clinics in the Madison area, with one on East Mifflin Street, just a few blocks from campus. All provide services such as pregnancy testing and counseling, annual exams, birth control, and STD testing.
""We're really lucky here in Madison, because women can enroll in the BadgerCare Plus Family Planning Program at UHS as well as at Planned Parenthood. Hopefully, women students here are not running into that problem,"" Nicole Safar, of the Public Affairs and Development Department of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said.
Safar hopes that the new administration will make it easier for family planning clinics and colleges to provide reduced cost birth control to their patients.
""Hopefully, we won't have to worry about the long term impact of this,"" she said.
