LITTLE BACKPOCKET GUIDE TO

Safer Chillouts

Like most things in life that bring us pleasure, chillouts aren’t without their risks. But most of these risks can be avoided if you go to sex parties well equipped to deal with them. The thing that makes chillouts risky is often just being unprepared.

Luckily, we’ve put together a guide to make sure you can have the best (hottest) time at your next chillout and look after your wellbeing at the same time.

This guide is for people who have either been to a chillout, have wanted to go to one, or maybe you have been invited to use chems with someone and are thinking about it.

It’s something you can read before you go and refer to (if you need to) while you’re there. It contains advice about how to look after yourself – how to do things safely – and how to look after other people – how to treat people with care, compassion, and kindness (the way you deserve to be treated too).

✺ The Love Tank CIC acknowledges the expert health and legal advice that informed this booklet. Thank you to the queer people — especially those with chillout experience – who helped create this booklet, and who pushed for it to be produced.

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE (EN)

DESCARGAR LA GUÍA (ES)

BAIXE O GUIA (PT)

POBIERZ PRZEWODNIK (PL)

SCARICA LA GUIDA (IT)

Helpful resources

Measuring syringes

✺ You can buy syringes for measuring G here.
Safer alternatives to injecting

✺ A guide to booty bumping (putting drugs into your arsehole).
Safer injecting

✺ More advice about safer injection practices from London Friend.
✺ Extensive advice about safer injection practices.
Stericups

✺ You can buy stericups for preparing drugs here.
Insulin needles

✺ You can buy fixed 1 mL needles for injection here.
Alcohol wipes

✺ You can buy alcohol wipes for preparing injection sites here.
Tourniquet

✺ You can buy a tourniquet that can be used safely by one person here.
Needle exchanges

✺ If you live in England, you can find your nearest needle exchange here.
✺ If you live in Scotland, you can find your nearest needle exchange here.
✺ If you live in Wales, you can find your nearest needle exchange here or here.
✺ You can find a list of needle exchanges in Northern Ireland here.
Emergency situations

✺ A video of how to put someone in the recovery position.
✺ Information about your rights upon arrest.
✺ A guide to “chemsex first aid,” with information about what to do if someone overdoses on G and other emergencies, including what to do if you or someone else has an erection that won’t go down after several hours.
Sexual assault services

✺ Galop UK, the national helpline for LGBT+ victims and survivors of abuse and violence (including sexual abuse).
✺ The Havens, specialist centres in London for people who have been raped or sexually assaulted in the last 12 months.
✺ Survivors UK, a charity with an online helpline for men dealing with rape and abuse.
PrEP info

✺ Information about HIV PrEP – a pill that is free to use and can prevent HIV infection.
STI self-testing kits

✺ If you live in London, you can order a free at-home STI testing kit here.
✺ If you live in certain other regions of the UK, you can order a free at-home STI testing kit through SH:24. See here for a list of eligible regions.
Sexual health clinics

✺ If you live in England, you can find yourself a sexual health clinic here.
✺ If you live in Wales, you can find yourself a sexual health clinic here.
✺ If you live in Northern Ireland, you can find yourself a sexual health clinic here.
✺ If you live in Scotland, you can find yourself a sexual health clinic here.
Help with Drugs

✺ Advice about how to address G dependency.
✺ London-based drug and alcohol support for LGBT people.
✺ Narcotics Anonymous run a weekly meeting for LGBTQ+ people in London.
✺ Online, anonymous support for people struggling with their chems use.
✺ A list of some regional chemsex and drug and alcohol support services.
✺ A free online chat service for people who need advice about their drug use - including chems.
✺ Free support for people living in certain London boroughs who are struggling with their mental health.
✺ A free online group support programme for chems.

Credits

RESEARCHED, WRITTEN, AND PUBLISHED BY
The Love Tank CIC, London, UK

TEXT IN CONSULTATION WITH
Controlling Chemsex

TEXT BY
Dr Benjamin Weil

ILLUSTRATIONS BY
Lynne Zakhour

DESIGN BY
Richard Kahwagi

This booklet is created and co-produced as part of the MAUREEN programme. Huge thanks to the MAUREEN mobilisers, and to the community translators.

✺ Published March 2023.