Safe Sex BehaviorName of the storyteller: Mangalam Title of the story: Mangazham Ungada... My name is Mangalam. I am 23 years old and I studied up to 8th standard. I am living with my parents in a small village. I became close to a man who worked near our garden, we fell in love and became intimate physically. Sometimes we use condoms and some times don’t. I became pregnant one time and took abortion tablet. In the mean time, I had a doubt about him and wondered if he will marry me. And I enquired about his behavior with some people that time I came to know that, his character was not good. I was very confused. During this time, my friends called me for a meeting. I went to the meeting and it was about HIV/AIDS awareness. They said that if we have sex with many persons we might get STD. I was very depressed, because the man who had sex with me already had sex with many other people. I had a doubt that I might be HIV positive. I wanted to commit suicide at that time. The meeting representatives said that I should get tested if I am in doubt. They also told me the places were I can go and get tested. I said to my parents that I was suffering from fever and I went to Usilampatti GH and tested for HIV. They said you are not yet affected by HIV, but if you follow the same there are chances and they counseled me. Now I am clear and stopped talking with that man. Thanks to UNICEF for its timely help.
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