In a report published by News 12 Brooklyn on April 8th, 2013, 32 percent of New York women who have contracted HIV live in Brooklyn. They go on to say women in Brooklyn are being diagnosed with HIV more than anywhere else in New York City. This could also be due to the population of Brooklyn being greater than any other borough in New York City, still that is no excuse.

According to the New York Women’s Foundation report, 32 percent of New York women who have contracted HIV live in Brooklyn. Bronx was second with nearly 30 percent. The report also shows that black women have the highest rate of new diagnoses with 65 percent.

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Although HIV can be transmitted through breastfeeding (pregnancy, childbirth), sharing drug needles, and blood transfusion (rare cases) the most common way is through unprotected sexual contact.

Many people believe that one type of unprotected sex is better than the other. In all actuality no unprotected sex is safe unless both parters are monogamous and free of the HIV virus. HIV is transmitted through specific human body fluids. If any of those fluids enter your body, you can become infected with HIV.

HIV lives and reproduces in blood and other body fluids. We know that the following fluids can contain high levels of HIV:

  • Blood
  • Semen (cum)
  • Pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum)
  • Breast milk
  • Vaginal fluids
  • Rectal (anal) mucous

Other body fluids and waste products—like feces, nasal fluid, saliva, sweat, tears, urine, or vomit—don’t contain enough HIV to infect you, unless they have blood mixed in them and you have significant and direct contact with them.

The safest way, if you are not abstinent is to protect yourself and your partner by wearing a condom. Also make sure you are getting tested regularly, at-least every six months.

In an earlier post, National Black HIV/AIDs Awareness Day, I ran down a couple of free clinics to get tested in Brooklyn. Here they are again.

Crown Heights

1218 Prospect Place (at Troy Ave.) 2nd Flr.
Brooklyn, NY 11213

Travel: By bus take the B65 heading to Ocean Hill-Brownsville; get off at Dean St & Troy Ave.  From downtown Bklyn take the B51 at Smith St.; then transfer at the B65
By train station to 1218 Prospect Pl at Troy take the 4 train. Get off at Utica Ave.; walk 10 minutes or take the bus.

This is perhaps ideal substitute to check out for more generic cialis.

Monday thru Friday — 8:30am to 3:30pm

Services: STD Services for those patients presenting symptoms or at risk of exposure, Emergency Contraception, HIV Counseling and Rapid Testing

Intake closes at 12:00PM every last Wednesday of each month for a mandatory staff meeting.

Fort Greene

295 Flatbush Ave. Extension, 2nd Flr.
(corner of Willoughby St.; near Fulton Mall & Long Island U.)
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Travel:#2, #3, #5 trains to Nevins Ave.;
N, R, D trains to Dekalb Ave.
**Note: Select Map of 295 Flatbush Ave. Extension

Tuesday thru Saturday — 8:30am to 3:00pm

Services: STD Services for those patients presenting symptoms or at risk of exposure, Emergency Contraception, HIV Counseling and Rapid Testing

Services: HIV Counseling and Rapid Testing Only
Intake closes at 12:00PM every last Friday of each month for a mandatory staff meeting.

If you would like to test yourself in the privacy of your home, you can purchase OraQuick from Walmart and many other large pharmacies (Click HERE). Talk to your partner, practice safe sex and get tested! Let’s lower these outrageous numbers by being smart about the decisions we make!

Remember Safe Sex IS The Best Sex!