How to stay safe

The ABC of HIV Prevention: Abstinence, Being faithful, Condom use

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In Mozambique, Adriano leads a peer educators training session on HIV and AIDS.

Abstinence

The only way to be 100 per cent sure you do not become infected with HIV through sexual contact is abstinence: in other words, simply abstaining from (not having) vaginal, anal or oral sex. For most young people, in practice this means delaying your first experience of sex.

In addition to protecting you from HIV, abstinence is also the only 100 per cent safeguard against contracting another STI. And not having penetrative sex is the only completely foolproof method of contraception (preventing pregnancy) as well.

There are other sexual activities that are completely safe. These include kissing, cuddling, massaging and masturbating your partner (touching their sexual parts — but avoid getting any sexual fluid or blood on broken skin).

Being faithful

When you feel you are ready to have penetrative sex, or your culture or traditions suggest that it is time for you to start being sexually active, being faithful to your sexual partner helps protect them and you. If you and your partner only have sex with each other, and neither of you is HIV-positive, there is no risk at all that either of you will be infected.

However, to establish that neither of you is HIV-positive (infected with HIV), you will both have to have an HIV test. Being faithful is no protection if one of you already has HIV from a previous relationship. And remember that there are various ways of getting infected (see the previous page to remind yourself of what these are) and that someone who is HIV-positive may not show any sign of illness.

Condoms

When you do have penetrative sex, always using condoms, and using them correctly, greatly lowers the risk of HIV infection. If condoms are used properly, they are a very effective method of protection and contraception. However, because condoms occasionally break or slip off, they are not 100 per cent safe.

Never Sharing injecting equipment

If you are an injecting drug user, to avoid HIV infection you should never share your injecting equipment (needles, syringes, cotton or rinsing water) or use someone else's. Needles can introduce the virus directly into the bloodstream.

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Liza, 18, participating in a clinic’s programme on prevention of mother –to-child transmission of HIV (Zimbabwe).

Mother-to-child transmission

The risk of an HIV-positive mother infecting her child is greatly reduced if she has access to anti-HIV medicines, information and confidential counselling, and if she is given special care during pregnancy and delivery.

Tattooing and body piercing

If you want to have a tattoo or piercing, make sure the tattooist or piercer explains all their safety measures first. The tattooist or piercer should wear gloves, use a new, sterilized needle, and discard that needle after use.