Shy = Die…Talk to your best friends!

• NO cure or vaccine exists currently to prevent HIV/AIDS diseases. It’s the human right of every teen to hear all the medically accurate facts.

• HIV is a deadly virus that passes in the blood and some bodily fluids from one partner to another. Sex and the sharing of needles (for drugs, body piercings, or tattoos) are the two main causes of teen HIV/AIDS.

• Adolescence is the period in life when experimenting with sex is natural but puts youth at risk. It’s a fact that no sex = no HIV/STDs. It is always safer to postpone sex until older and then with one partner. More than one sex partner increases the likelihood of getting HIV/AIDS.

• If a teen chooses to have sexual intercourse, a condom is always necessary although they are not 100% guaranteed. However, using one every time will greatly help to prevent HIV/STDs. Kissing, touching and hugging are safe sex.

HIV/AIDS Prevention

A = Abstinence

Simply put: No Sex = No AIDS. Possibly against parents’ wishes, a majority of teenagers are choosing to have their first sexual encounters between 15 and 18. Abstinence is the option I prefer to stress, as it gives time for maturing youth to grow and make wiser choices, and medical evidence suggests abstinence is healthier on many levels.

B = Be Faithful, such as monogamy

Youth who choose to have sex should realize that being faithful with one partner is safer than being promiscuous with different ones. When people have sex, they are being exposed to their lovers’ past sexual partners. However, not everyone knows if they have been exposed to HIV or AIDS.

C = Condoms, or other protection

Condoms are not 100% perfect, but they are are a medical device offering prophylaxis against many sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS. Used properly every time, the incidence of HIV transmission is greatly reduced. Unprotected sexual intercourse is never a safe or wise choice unless the couple is truly committed to monogamy. Condoms cannot prevent the transmission of every infection, and can break during use.

D = Do not believe in “pulling out” to reduce risk

Many young people believe that “pulling out,” also known as withdrawal, is an effective method of preventing pregnancy or infection. This could not be more inaccurate. Some sexual diseases merely require the contact of the skin of sexual organs.