Keeping our community healthy

What do you do when the condom breaks or when desire is greater than your plan to use a condom, and you have sex without one?

People may ask themselves, ‘Will I get or pass on HIV, or an STI?’ or ‘What can I do to protect myself or my partner?’ or ‘Who can I turn to for help?’.

Some things reduce (but don’t eliminate) the risk of HIV transmission, if the condom breaks or you have sex without a condom.

For examply, you and your partner not having a pre-existing STI (gonorrhoea, syphilis, active herpes etc), not having any cuts or sores on your cock/arse, a negative partner starting PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) within 72 hours if HIV exposure may have happened, a positive partner having an undetectable viral load, the positive partner bottoming or the positive partner not ejaculating inside the negative partner.

If an accident does happen you can talk to your GP/sexual health clinic.

Call Healthy Communities on 1800 177 434 or visit men.org.au to find out more on HIV transmission. Knowing the risks can help you avoid passing on or picking up HIV and an STI.

BY EVIE RYDER  (Brisbane Health Promotions Officer)