Today is World Aids Day
Today, 1 December 2008, is the 20th anniversary of the first World Aids Day, declared by the World Health Organisation in an attempt to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.
It is a timely reminder that in much of the Third World, such as sub-Saharan Africa, HIV infections are mainly heterosexual.
It is also a reminder that marriages tend to take a dive when one spouse discovers that he/she is infected with a sexually transmitted infection, such as chlamydia or herpes, or the nightmare option HIV; knowing that he/she didn’t have it when they got together and that he/she had been faithful throughout the marriage.
Those who have picked up a free dose of herpes (for example) from their spouses are less than forgiving than others for their spouses straying. Not only have they been infected (and often not been aware of how long of the infection), as well as realising that their spouse was unfaithful, they realise that they have the infection forever, and the infection greatly limits the chances of re-partnering. The inability to re-partner is seen as in itself being a barrier to being able to move on after the end of the relationship.
Relations between the partners tend to get worse, too, when the likely guilty party suggests to the other that may be the other was the one to spread the infection.
Thought also needs to be given to the consequences of being sued by the disgruntled spouse for spreading an STI with such potentially devastating results.
