C
C – Compassionate and caring intimacy.
Being in a compassionate, caring one safe relationship is a fireproof way of protecting yourself from new HIV infections. You are in a partnership where there is mutual respect and concern for each other. Both of you can devise a step by step prevention plan to protect yourselves from HIV and AIDS.
- If you are HIV negative, then you ensure that both of you stay negative.
- If one of you is infected ensure that you do not transmit the virus to your partner.
- If both of you are infected you need to make sure that you do not re-infect each other. Both of you can help each other to take steps to avoid the onset of AIDS.
- Your safety is important and you can negotiate and practice safer sex and apply risk reduction.
- Safer sex includes the consistent and correct use of condoms. Remember using a condom is not 100% safe – only around 80% safe IF USED PROPERLY and consistently at every sexual encounter.
- Condom use is a sign of your affinity to safety, how informed you are, not an indicator of how promiscuous you are.
- Risk reduction includes Circumcision for males. Male circumcision provides only partial protection. Clinical trials in South Africa (at Orange Farm in Gauteng), Kenya and Uganda have demonstrated that males who are circumcised have close to 60% less chance of acquiring HIV during sexual intercourse.
In this compassionate caring relationship; you and your partner both look out for each other. You are able to put your safety first. You are both empowered to talk openly about sex, safer sex and risk reduction.
