UP YOUR GAME - HIV INFECTION - THE FACTS
Many people are still confused about exactly how HIV is transmitted and this is made worse where families and communities feel uncomfortable talking about sex.

UNPROTECTED SEX - The main way people become infected with HIV is through vaginal sex. That's when the penis is in the vagina. Sometimes people think that if they have oral sex (mouth with the penis or mouth with the vagina) or anal sex (penis in the anus) then they are not “really” having sex and they can't get HIV. This is WRONG! You can become infected with HIV through anal and oral sex.
BLOOD – You can also become infected through direct contact with blood, such as sharing needles or blades or untested blood transfusions.
VERTICAL TRANSMISSION – HIV can pass from an HIV+ mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding.

BODY FLUIDS AND HIV
HIV can only live in certain FLUIDS in our body: > Blood > Semen > Vaginal fluids (secretions) > Breast milk.

HIGH RISK BEHAVIOR!!
Certain behaviour can put you at super high risk of becoming infected with HIV. If you're involved with any of the following, you need to think seriously about getting tested for HIV and changing your sexual behaviour if you want to protect your health and your future.

> Having Multiple Concurrent Partners (MCP) This includes -

- Having more than one sexual partner at a time, or something on the side
- Changing partners often
- Starting sexual relationships soon after meeting people
- Casual sex – also known as one night stands
- More than one partner in a month
- Overlapping sexual partners
- Main and other partners

> Transactional sex – Having sex4stuff

> Intergenerational sex – Having sex with someone who is more than 5 years older than you

> Drinking or drug use - reduces your control and awareness and means you are more likely to do something you might regret.

If you need help getting out of a relationship or situation which puts your health at risk, chat to a GOLD peer educator, facilitator, teacher, youth leader or adult you trust today.

QUIZ - True OR False (Answers below) 1. You can get HIV from anal sex (penis in anus) 2. You can get HIV from kissing 3. You can get HIV from sharing a towel 4. You can get HIV from a toilet seat 5. You can get HIV from oral sex (penis in mouth) 6. You can get HIV from vaginal sex (penis in vagina) 7. You can get HIV from a cough 8. A baby can become infected with HIV when it is born if it's mother in HIV+ 9. You can get HIV from sharing food 10. You can only get HIV if your partner is sick, not if she/ he looks healthy.

ANSWERS: 1 - TRUE! Always use a condom for any sexual act. 2 - FALSE! You can't get HIV from kissing unless there is blood involved, like a cut or sore in the mouth of both people. 3 - FALSE! 4 - FALSE! 5 - TRUE! Always use a condom for any sexual act. 6 - TRUE! Always use a condom for any sexual act. 7 - FALSE! But you could get or pass on TB, so always cover your mouth with your hand when you cough. 8 - TRUE! 9 - FALSE! 10 - FALSE! If you got a single answer wrong, it's time to up your game! Read on, get the right info and use it to stay HIV- or keep healthy and care about your partners if you are HIV+.

So, you think you know everything about HIV and you? Take our Quiz and see if your facts are keeping you safe or whether it's time you upped your game! >>>

HIV prevention is for life!

HIV can be prevented, but prevention is not a once off thing, it is something we have to keep doing! Let's see how.…

BLOOD
Sharing infected needles is the quickest way of getting HIV from one infected person's bloodstream to another. Never share or reuse needles, razors, blades or body piercings!

VERTICAL TRANSMISSION
HIV can pass from a mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Taking ARVs (Antiretroviral drugs) during pregnancy and childbirth can greatly lower the risk of transmitting HIV to a baby. Breastfeeding can be risky, so talk to your clinic sister about how to do this correctly. If you are bottle feeding with formula, always use sterilized bottles, clean water and mix the formula properly. If you are pregnant, or know someone who is, get down to your local clinic, or chat to a GOLD peer educator or youth leader to find out about where to get further support.

PREVENTION AND LIVING POSITIVELY
HIV prevention is very important for young people and adults living with HIV. HIV prevention will:

> Prevent you from transmitting the HIV virus to other people through unprotected sex.

> Protect you from being re-infected with another strain of HIV. There are several strains, or sub-types, of HIV and being infected with a different strain can complicate anti-HIV treatment.

> Prevent transmission from mother to child. If you are pregnant, talk to your clinic sister or doctor about taking ARVs to lower the risk of your child becoming HIV+.

Remember, HIV prevention is for life, and should be a part of everyone's life. Talk to a GOLD peer educator, facilitator or youth leader about how you can apply these prevention skills in your life and especially if things like peer pressure or violence are preventing you from protecting yourself.

SEX - As easy as ABC?
ABC stands for Abstain, Be Faithful and Condomise. These 3 principles work well to prevent HIV transmission, but it's not always easy to apply them to our lives. Let's take a closer look.

ABSTAIN - I'm worth it! Wait for it. Abstaining means not having sex. No vaginal, anal or oral sex = no sexual HIV transmission.

1. Many young people choose to abstain and wait to have sex until they are ready to commit to one partner for life. At GOLD, we believe that each and every person is worth the very best, and can enjoy a committed relationship even if they have never seen this role modeled. We believe that sex is safest and most fulfilling with a committed partner whom you love deeply.

2. But we know waiting can be difficult for a number of reasons, including peer pressure, hormones, pressure from a partner to have sex and rape or violence. Alcohol and drugs can also cloud our decision making skills and lead us to do things we later regret.

3. DELAY – The older you are when you start having sex, the better prepared you will be to decide what you want in a relationship and be in charge of your sexual and reproductive health.

4. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO WAIT – Even if you have been sexually active in the past, you can decide to stop having sex and wait until you're older and more sure of what you want in a long term partner.

BE FAITHFUL TO ONE LOVE - Being faithful with one partner when you know your status and your partner's status is another way of preventing HIV transmission.

1. Having more than one sexual partner at the same time can put you at high risk of becoming infected with HIV.

2. Being faithful only works if you stick to only one partner and are sure your partner is also faithful. This can be difficult when it is quite acceptable in certain communities for people to have more than one partner, or to have something on the side. For more on this, read the article, Something on the Side.

USE A CONDOM CORRECTLY, EVERY TIME - Male and female condoms are both effective at preventing HIV transmission if they are used correctly every time you have sex – that means vaginal, anal and oral sex. Remember that condoms make sex a lot safer if you use them correctly, but they do not provide 100% protection.

TALK GROUP DISCUSSION: Playing it Safe
1: Why do you think people are still getting infected with HIV?
2: What do YOU think is the best way to prevent HIV?
3: What do you think are the things that make it difficult to follow the prevention methods we hear about?
4: How can we as young people support each other to prevent HIV infection and live positively?