Then stop! No seriously, for some reason, people are seemingly becoming more complacent about HIV and other STDs, and are willing to take more risks as a result. The result of that is more sex, and in particular, more high risk sex (which includes unprotected sex). I spoke yesterday about saying something about this, and while I don’t want to get preachy, I do want to say my piece, and hopefully open up a dialogue with all of you that read this site. The article that I read, which was pretty much the straw that broke the camel’s back, considering it is one of umpteenth million things I have seen referring to this subject, talked about increased risk behavior amongst the highest risk groups for HIV infection. While I don’t need to remind anyone that HIV is transmitted through sex, I often wonder what it is that convinces people that certain things are acceptable, and causes them to place their actions into the category of ‘risks they are willing to take’?
Why is it that some people have sex with their partners (of known or unknown status), and find it an acceptable risk to go without protection?** There are even barebacking parties that still occur, and we are 25+ years into this epidemic; which is showing no signs of slowing down. Is this because people can live longer on HIV meds? Is it because people don’t care about becoming infected with HIV anymore? Or is it because people don’t see HIV around them, and so they don’t believe it exists, or could happen to them? It is certain that things are very different now with regards to the visibility of HIV in the community, but is that the reason? Are people just forgetting that they are still just as susceptible today to HIV infection as in the past?
I guess I pose this topic, because it honestly baffles me, as a behavioral scientist that works in HIV research, how people still continue to put themselves in unnecessarily risky circumstances, when the education, information, protection, and preventative measures are readily available. Is it complacency? For some it probably is. Is it purely the ‘heat of the moment’ mentality (i.e., no condom because sex was animalistic or whatever) or sensation seeking? I am sure that is some of it. But I feel like it has to be something more than that. What is it that you think causes people to believe that one experience (or many for that matter), may have a risk threshold that is acceptable to take; even when the threat of HIV infection does not decrease (and in many cases, increases)?
What do you all think? Seriously, this is very interesting to me, and honestly, it totally varies by individuals, as I am speaking directly about individual behaviors. Let me know what you think, what you have observed, and, if you want, what the answer is to you. Is having unprotected sex in the continued wake of HIV an acceptable enough risk to just go forward? Does one really not think about the consequences of participating in risky behaviors (like barebacking parties), or do they have a mechanism for turning off that protective voice in their head? If so, why do you think that is? Do people just not think about it? Why do you think that is so?
Alright, I have asked a lot of questions, and really do what to know what you think. I hope this will be a good and informative discussion, I am really excited to see what people think.
Sidenote: I know I have a lot of gay readers, but this isn’t solely focused on gay sex. Heterosexual females are actually the current highest risk group for infection, so I am interested in heterosexual views on the “disappearance” of safe sex.
**It was pointed out to me via email that I neglected to mention exclusions to this, such as monogamous serocordinant partners. This would be the safest situation in which to have unprotected sex, and is a situation in which I find myself; we are both negative, and we are monogamous, and therefore, there is minimal (if any) risk for either of us getting infected (so long as that monogamy is honored).
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