| Can one become
infected by a single act of unprotected sex? |
Yes, as soon as
the mucous membrane on the end of the penis or in the
anus comes into contact with the semen or blood of an
HIV positive person, infection is absolutely
possible. The more often this happens, whether active
or passive in sex, the higher the possibility that
one will become infected with HIV. To
eliminate the risks of infection, you must wear a
condom during each sexual contact.
|
| I want to
practice safe sex, but my partner doesn't want to. What
should I do? |
You should not give up
your demands for safe sex. Tell your partner at the
beginning that you will only fuck with condoms. Don't
wait until the middle of the act, when you have lost
some of your senses, as this decision is for the
health of you and your partner. Young men
"coming out" have it especially difficult
to stand by their demands to use condoms in
situations with more sexually experienced men. If you
can't convince your partner, then you can always say
"No"
. Admit to your fears of an infection! Trust your
feelings! Sometimes you will need courage and
self-confidence to force the use of a condom.
|
| Is there a risk
of infection during oral sex? |
As long as no semen enters
the mouth, oral sex is considered safe sex.
The pre-cum would contain HIV cells in an infected
person, but the concentration is thought to be so
small that the risk of infection is unlikely / minimal. There
is no 100% guarantee, however. If you want to be
absolutely safe, then you should use a condom during
oral sex. Give each other warning before orgasm to
ensure that no semen enters the mouth of the person
"blowing". If someone does come in your
mouth, then spit it out and rinse your mouth a few
times with warm water. Don't swallow the semen!
|
| Is there a risk
of infection while in a long-term relationship with
someone? |
Yes. Studies have
shown that many new infections occur between men in a
long-term relationship. In many gay relationships,
"affairs" can occur - both planned and
unplanned. It is often difficult to speak with the
partner about these "affairs". Honest
communication is absolutely necessary wherever unsafe
sex comes into play. An HIV negative antibody test is
also a requirement in a relationship where
unprotected sex is to take place.
|
| After an HIV
negative antibody test, we've decided to have unprotected
sex in a serious relationship with each other. Now I'm
unsure as to whether my partner will have any unsafe
"affairs". What shall I do? |
Many couples have
agreements and try to stay in compliance with these
agreements. A requirement for such agreements is that
in cases of unsafe contacts outside the relationship,
the other partner is informed. Trust your intuition.
Ask your partner about unprotected sex outside of the
relationship, even if you would rather speak with him
about other things. Discuss with each other how you
can deal with your anxieties about an HIV infection.
Maybe you will decide to practice safe sex again.
|
| Is safe sex
really necessary now that there are so many good AIDS
medicines? |
Yes. Safe sex is just
as necessary now as it was before the discovery of
the medicines we have today. Even when HIV positive
men take medications, they are still infectious. AIDS
cannot be cured. Only the outbreak of the associated
diseases can be delayed, and the side-effects of the
various medicines can be very unpleasant. The
medicines have been shown to have long-term damaging
effects on some organs such as the liver and kidneys.
We also don't know if medicine-resistant strains of
the virus will mutate over the longer term.
|
Therefore for you in
the future:
Fuck only with a condom and recommended lubricant,
and don't get any semen in your mouth. |