HIV Infections ARE RISING!

HIV Infections ARE RISING!

Many people still have the belief that HIV and AIDS only affects homosexuals! However, 75% of the world population infected with HIV is heterosexual. The United Nations predicts " AIDS will cut population by 300 million; 300 million fewer people in the world by the year 2050 from the impact of AIDS". The United Nations is predicting the biggest rises in AIDS deaths to be in China (estimated 40 million) and India (estimated 47 million). The population of sub-Saharan Africa will be 19% lower.

In the United States, there are 980,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and 45,000 newly infected.

In Canada, 65,000 people are infected with HIV. The rates of infection among our aboriginal population in Canada are reported to rival the worst hit areas of Africa! HIV infection among aboriginal people is twice the rate of infection in non-aboriginal people.

People believe HIV infection will never happen to them and many still associate HIV/AIDS with gay people. Yet men, women and children of every race and religious or spiritual belief are being infected with HIV every day, all over the world!

For years, the gay community successfully promoted and practiced safe sex practices, which reduced the number of infections dramatically over a period of ten years. With antiretroviral therapies and fewer deaths associated with these treatments, many gay people have discontinued safe sex practices. HIV infection is not disclosed to partners and anal sex without a condom is increasing at alarming rates. So now HIV infection is on the rise again amongst gay people.

Also, the heterosexual community is not practicing safe sex, which is evident in the statistics of HIV infection amongst heterosexuals worldwide. Seventy five percent of the world population infected with HIV is heterosexual. Fifty percent of all HIV infections are in women.

There has been insufficient time or attention given to the dispersal of proper information through the media regarding HIV and AIDS and HIV prevention.

Studies show that anal sex is common throughout the world and in some countries 60% of adults practice anal sex. Women in the United States are reported to be seven times more likely to engage in unprotected anal sex, than men having sex with men. Condom usage is lower for heterosexual anal sex compared to vaginal sex. Many men who have sex with men do not define themselves as gay. More and more women are being infected with HIV through sexual intercourse with their male partner, unaware their partner is bisexual! In heterosexual relationships, infidelity is also responsible for increases in HIV infection among women.

The proportion of adults living with HIV/AIDS who are women has been steadily increasing. AIDS now ranks as one of the leading causes of death among women aged 20 to 40 in several cities in Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and North America.

The number of people who believe they are HIV positive but who have not been tested is substantial. Many are not practicing safe sex.

Many AIDS dissidents are not practicing safe sex because they do not believe HIV exists and/or causes AIDS and they too are responsible for increased numbers of infections. What the average person who reads material provided by AIDS Dissidents does not realize or know is this; AIDS dissidents have gone on to develop AIDS. Some who have tested positive opt out of treatments and for others; by the time they do get tested it is often too late!

HIV reacts in each individual differently, there is no way of knowing how long before illness occurs. This is why people who have tested positive but seemingly have no signs of illness, are buying into the false belief that HIV does not cause AIDS.

HIV does cause AIDS. And HIV infections ARE rising!
I am Positively Positive!

Bradford McIntyre, HIV+ 20 years!
Vancouver, Canada
www.PositivelyPositive.ca