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Keeping Safe

The ABC’s of HIV/AIDS Prevention
(Source: Florida Department of Health)

Abstinence - No drugs and no sex means no infection. Abstinence from risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex and drug use, is the only sure way to protect yourself from HIV.

Being with one person or mutual monogamy - Having sex with only one person who is not infected means no infection. Monogamy means that a person has sex only with one other person. Mutual monogamy means that two individuals have sex with each other but not with anyone else. If you choose to have sex, be with one partner and know your partner's HIV infection status. Monogamy will not protect a couple if both or either persons are shooting drugs or sharing needles with other drug users.

Condoms or Safer Sex - Since abstinence and mutual monogamy are not prevention options for some people, safer sex or having sex using precautions must be practiced. If a person has more than one partner or doesn't know his or her partner well, latex or polyurethane condoms, used properly, can help protect a person from HIV. Latex or polyurethane condoms act as a barrier to bodily fluids.

Condoms need to be used from start to finish during vaginal, anal or oral sex. Condoms should be unrolled all the way onto the penis, leaving a space at the tip. Each condom should be used only once and never beyond the expiration date. Condoms can only protect you from HIV infection if used properly and every time you have sex. Use only water-based lubricants with latex condoms. Female condoms, when used properly, provide an option for females who want to prevent infection with HIV or other STDs. Female condoms and male condoms should not be used together.

Drugs - If needles are not shared during drug use, no infection will occur. It is possible to disinfect needles and syringes with ordinary bleach before sharing. Bleach should be drawn into the needle and syringe three times and shaken each time. Then water should be drawn into the syringe three times to rinse out the bleach.

Standard Universal Precautions
Standard Universal Precautions are infection-control procedures. Health care workers, barbers, cosmetologists, emergency workers or any other professional who may come in contact with another person's bodily fluids should assume all patients/clients are infected with HIV. Precautions such as wearing latex gloves, sterilizing medical tools and washing hands are essential for preventing HIV transmission.

Talking About HIV and AIDS with your Sexual Partner(s)
Not everyone is comfortable talking about sex, or other risky behaviors that might put you at risk for HIV infection. But if you don't talk about sex and its risks, you could be living the consequences of that decision. If you think that talking about HIV and AIDS will cost you a relationship, remember that HIV could cost you a lot more - your life.

Sometimes we think that we have good reasons not to talk about HIV and AIDS:
• That's something that happens to other people
• I'm in a relationship
• I'm not gay
• I don't do drugs

Other common reasons for not talking about HIV and AIDS might sound surprising. For example:

"My boyfriend looks fine. I'd know if there was something wrong."
You cannot tell if someone has HIV by looking at them. Someone might look fine or feel fine and still be infected. Since someone can be infected for a long time before even showing symptoms, that person might not know they are infected.

"But I only have sex with my boyfriend. We're a couple."
Just as your partner cannot be with you 24 hours a day, you cannot be with your partner 24 hours a day. Your partner may be engaging in risky behavior without your knowledge. That could be putting you at risk for HIV whether you are in a relationship or not.

"We're both HIV-positive, so we don't have to think about safe sex."
Not all strains of HIV are alike. An HIV-positive person can infect a partner with a new strain of HIV different than the strain that the partner already has. HIV strains can also mutate into forms that may be resistant to medication. People who are HIV-positive should practice safe sex and should not share needles with other people who are HIV-positive.

Talking about HIV and AIDS helps you to protect yourself from HIV infection. Try some of these tips to help you and your partner talk about HIV and AIDS.

Find the right time and place to talk.
Do not wait until you are in the bedroom to discuss HIV. If you are thinking about not ruining the moment, you are taking the chance of putting yourself at risk. Talk somewhere where you and your partner feel comfortable.

Try different ways to start the discussion.
You might try saying something like, "I saw something on the news today about HIV-did you see that?" or, "Someone at school today talked to us about STDs-maybe we should talk about that."

Communicate actively.
Give your complete attention to the conversation. Ask your partner how they feel about HIV and your relationship. It is important that you do not do all of the talking all of the time.

Listen closely to what your partner tells you.
Ask questions if you do not understand what your partner said, or if something is not clear. Wait until your partner has finished talking before you ask questions. Constant interruptions will likely stop the discussion.

Be considerate when talking about such sensitive subjects.
Statements like, "I can't believe you think that," or, "You're wrong" will certainly end the conversation.

Be clear about your attitudes and beliefs.
What do you really think about sex or other risky behaviors like drug use? What do you believe about sex as part of a relationship?

Protect yourself.
Be prepared for the possibility that your partner will not share your opinions about openly discussing HIV and AIDS. If that happens, remember that you have the power and the responsibility to take care of yourself. You can make the decisions that protect you and your body from HIV infection. If your partner does not respect your concerns about HIV, ask yourself how comfortable you are in that relationship.

Only you can decide the best way to discuss HIV and AIDS with your partner, your friends and your family. The most important thing is that we all start talking about it.