NSW HAS ALWAYS HAD A STRONG SAFE SEX CULTURE AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN IT TOGETHER IF WE ARE TO END HIV.
Advances in treatment and biomedical prevention options now mean there are different ways to stay safe. Combined with testing often, we can end HIV transmission for all.
CONDOMS, PREP, UVL, PEP. HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Do you do it every day? Or do you do it on the go? Either way there is a HIV prevention option that can work for you. For 30 years, condoms and lube have been the best way to prevent HIV but today, they are no longer the only option.
‘Safe sex’ for gay men now means condoms, PrEP, UVL (undetectable viral load), PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) or a combination. How do you do it? You choose.
I’m pretty lucky to have several options for protecting myself from HIV these days. I feel more confident than ever.
Which one works for you?
Guys tell us what they choose to stay safe. What option do you use?
Risk Calculator
What's your risk?
Fucking is a pretty simple act, but your level of risk changes depending on the position you take or the prevention option you and your sexual partners choose. To understand more about your risk, use our risk calculator.
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YOUR HIV STATUS
HIS HIV STATUS
WAYS TO REDUCE RISK
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Whether it’s all the time or on-the-go, you can access free condoms and lube in various locations throughout NSW, such as sexual health clinics, gay clubs and bars. Paying customers can also find condoms at SOPVs.
Find out where to goMore strategies you could use
While condoms, PrEP and UVL are key combinations to help you stay safe, there are some other methods you can use to reduce risk. These strategies have varying degrees of effectiveness, but are based on some conditions that must be met.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS: STAY SAFE
Knowledge of your HIV status and that of your partners is critical (and disclosure of your HIV positive status, prior to sex, is required by law in NSW). Regardless of your status, it’s important to stay safe, because this will not only help you take charge of your own health, but will also help us end HIV. Now we have plenty of options to help us stay safe, so choose the option that works best for you and enjoy the sex you like!
Same status or serosorting
This is just what it sounds like – you only fuck without condoms with guys who have the same HIV status as you. The thing is, you have to actually know your status and your partner’s to get it right. You can’t guess or assume with this one.
Pulling out
This is when the top pulls his cock out of his partner’s arse before cumming. It reduces the risk somewhat over NOT pulling out, however not by much. It’s a high-risk strategy, and really isn’t as effective as using condoms, PrEP or being undetectable.
Neg Top / Pos Bottom
This is a relatively simple concept – the negative man tops and the positive man bottoms. While this strategy is certainly lower risk than when the poz guy does the topping, there is still a medium risk of HIV transmission.
Negotiated safety / Relationship agreements
This is when two HIV negative men in a relationship have a deliberate discussion about how they agree to prevent HIV, with each other and with people outside of their relationship. Traditionally, it might’ve been about when to use condoms or not, but with more options like PrEP and undetectable this can now mean various factors. Negotiated safety requires that both parties continue to talk, test, and trust, and to maintain a relationship agreement that reflects the mutual commitment made and incorporates any mutually agreed changes.