If you are HIV-1 positive, you cant have unprotected sex without telling your partner your HIV-1 status.

You cant get drunk with your new boy/girlfriend, go back to their place, and have a night of unprotected passion. You cant do that. Even if you are an HIV-1 Denier, you cant do that.

After you know (or in the case of Deniers 'are told') you are HIV-1 positive, it is your responsibility to tell your sexual partners you are positive. If your infection is well controlled with antiretrovirals and your viral load is undetectable, and say your partner really wants a child, they might decide unprotected sex is worth the risk. Your partner might be cool with it, but insist condoms are always used, and maybe they want to go to a local clinic/counseling center for advice. Maybe they will need some time to think about it. Maybe they will walk out the door and never speak to you again.

But if you are HIV-1 positive, their decision is not your decision.

You cant decide 'Oh, I wont infect them, I dont have to say anything'. You cant say 'HIV-1 doesnt exist, I can tell them I am negative'.

And this isnt just a moral obligation-- Philippe Padieu of Texas was just sentenced to 45 years in prison for knowingly infecting at least six women.

Several of the victims said they raised the topic of safe sex and using protection. His response, they said, was "I'm clean."

... one victim said she went with Padieu to the 2005 doctor's appointment when he was informed he was HIV-positive. She waited in the parking lot for him until he returned. Then, she said he looked her straight in the eye and said he was "negative."

And Padieu doesnt 'get it'. Hes got the usual HIV-1 predator defense: those women were whores--

Padieu himself also took the stand, saying he was a victim of overzealous prosecutors. He said the women who accused him had all had multiple partners.

Dr. Michael Metzker, an associate professor in molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, testified on behalf of the state. He had been hired to conduct a blind study on blood samples from each of the six victims and the defendant.

Metzker told the jury that based on the HIV strain present in the DNA of each sample, one individual stood out as being the most likely source of all of the other infections. Prosecutors revealed that the sample belonged to Padieu.

This post is dedicated to an HIV-1 newb at Daily Kos ;) Its okay, newb. Not mad at you if you promise to learn moar.

Read the original blog entry...