#RethinkHIV on World AIDS Day

December 1^st is World AIDS Day.  This year’s World AIDS Day campaign, determined by the United Kingdom’s National AIDS Trust, is #RethinkHIV.  Their goal is to dispel some of the commonly held beliefs about HIV contraction and people living with HIV that are false. 

Recently, when actor Charlie Sheen disclosed his positive HIV status, there were many questions from his fellow actors, namely Jenny McCarthy, about their exposure to HIV.  This has been a great opportunity for those in the HIV/AIDS educational community to remind people that HIV is NOT spread by kissing, touching or licking. 

Another common misconception is that all intravenous drug users have contracted HIV.  This is also not true.  I found this statistic especially surprising. 

The campaign has many suggested Twitter and Facebook posts to participate in World AIDS Day. 

One of the suggested posts from the campaign is “There are only three ways to get HIV-unprotected sex (95%), sharing needles, and mother-to-child transmission.”  According to the same website, 99.5% of children born from HIV positive women don’t have HIV.  Therefore, as seen in the suggested quote, the greatest number of infections is occurring through unprotected sex.  Of course, I advocate strongly for the use of prophylactics-condoms, dental dams, etc., but we must be cognizant that there are people who are unable to use these precautions. 

Some people who are victims of sex trafficking are not allowed by their trafficker to negotiate condom use.  Some buyers will pay more to not use a condom, and victims of sex trafficking are not able to turn down that additional money, either out of necessity or due to quotas from their trafficker. 

HIV/AIDS is a disease that can affect anyone.  One time, one person, one mistake.  I say this not to cause fear, but to cause empathy.  People who have contracted HIV did not choose to be infected.  There are many reasons that people cannot protect themselves.  Please honor World AIDS Day by having compassion for those infected, and trying to prevent more infections by spreading awareness.