What does 'safe sex' mean?

Safe sex means making sure you don't get anyone else's blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk in your body -- and protecting your partners too! Condoms, latex surgical gloves, and plastic wrap are the only ways to protect yourself and your partner from STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) sand HIV, but they're not foolproof. You've got to use them correctly every time you have sex. Precisely so this refers to sexual activities which do not involve flow and transmission of any blood or sexual fluid from one person into another person's body. If two people are having safe sex then, even if one person is infected, there is no possibility of the other person becoming infected.

In many parts of the world, particularly the USA, people are taught that the best form of safe sex is no sex - also called 'sexual abstinence'. Abstinence isn't a form of sex at all, since it involves avoiding any kind of sexual activity altogether. Usually, young people are taught that they should abstain from sex until they get married, and also to remain faithful to their respective spouses and/or partners. This is a good way to avoid HIV infection, as long as their husband or wife is also completely faithful and doesn't infect them.