Who gets HIV?
HIV does not discriminate. The virus does not single out any skin colour, faith, sexual orientation or economic status. It is not who you are, but in most cases it’s what you do that determines whether you can become infected with HIV. Of course, there are exceptions; some people are born HIV+, the disease having been passed on by their mother. For others their HIV status is as a result of a blood transfusion received before stringent testing of donated blood was in place.
It’s super important you remember that if you are having unprotected sex or sharing drug needles and syringes, you risk being infected with HIV.
Almost half of the people infected with HIV last year were between 15 and 24 years old. Trusting or having feelings for your partner will not protect you. Everybody is at risk if they don't know the facts about HIV/AIDS transmission and take steps to prevent the spread of the disease.
You can't tell that somebody is HIV positive or has AIDS just by looking at them. To learn more about how HIV/AIDS affects all kinds of people, watch the Staying Alive documentaries to see the faces and hear the stories of young people dealing with the disease.
