Talking to your partner

There is no one 'correct' way to initiate a discussion with a partner about HIV prevention. How we approach this topic may depend on the nature of the relationship, as well as the personalities involved. Many people find it difficult to talk about sex. When we are discussing HIV prevention with a long-term partner, such as a spouse, a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, it can sometimes be hard to talk about prevention, including condom use, without touching on sensitive topics such as commitment, trust and emotional intimacy. Although it can be challenging to discuss HIV prevention with a partner, it is important that we all talk about it. Avoiding the topic does not make HIV go away. You might want to think in advance about how you will raise the topic with your partner. If you are having difficulty deciding how you might do that, you might consider seeking counselling through a UN-affiliated health-care provider or through a local AIDS organization.

For long-term couples, going together for HIV counselling and testing is a good way to work through any HIV-related issues. Testing clarifies each partner's HIV status, which can help couples come up with their own informed HIV-prevention plan. In addition, a trained counsellor can also provide information, answer questions, and promote discussion about sex between partners.

• How Do You Talk To Your Partners About HIV and STDs?
  This website gives many suggestions for how to raise the topic of sex with your partner.
• A Woman’s Guide to Healthy Living.
  This website talks about how to talk with your partner about HIV and STDs and how to involve your partner to get tested.
• How to Talk to Your Partner About Safer Sex.
  This website includes tips for how to raise the topic of safer sex and offers suggestions for tricky situations, such as if your partner does not want to use a condom