The risk of pulling out
Many men try to make fucking without condoms safer by using what is known as ‘withdrawal’. Withdrawal involves the top pulling out of the bottom’s arse before he ejaculates. Many men think that this is a reliable way to prevent HIV transmission because cum (semen) is one of the main body fluids through which HIV can pass from one man to another during sex, and as such if the top doesn’t cum inside the bottom then there is no risk of HIV transmission.
Data from the Melbourne Gay Community Periodic Survey shows that roughly 10 percent of HIV negative men reported using withdrawal when fucking without condoms with casual partners.
Even though pulling out before cumming reduces your risk of contracting or passing on HIV in comparison to not using withdrawal and cumming inside your partner, the risk itself is not eliminated. Using condoms and water based lube remains the most effective way to prevent HIV.
There are several reasons as to why withdrawal is not a reliable way to prevent HIV transmission. For example HIV anti-bodies exist in pre-cum, which is the fluid that leaks from the tip of the penis during stimulation, and this can be passed along during unprotected sex long before anyone has cum. Also if you’re fucking without condoms, just because the top doesn’t cum, it doesn’t mean that HIV cannot be transmitted from the bottom to the top.
HIV can pass from the bottom’s arse into the top’s cock via the opening at the tip of the cock or through the skin of the cock through tiny cuts or abrasions caused by friction during fucking. Furthermore having a sexually transmitted infection (e.g. gonorrhoea or syphilis) makes an HIV-negative person far more vulnerable to getting HIV regardless of whether they or their sex partner pulls out before cumming. Lastly If an HIV-positive person has a sexually transmitted infection then their viral load levels increase making HIV transmission more likely regardless of whether they or their sex partners pulls out before cumming. It is also important to point out that the guy doing the fucking may accidentally cum before he has a chance to withdraw and a casual sex partner may potentially not honour an agreement to pull out before he cums.
Pulling out before cumming is not a reliable way to avoid the risk of HIV transmission during unprotected sex. Using condoms and water based lube remains the most effective way to prevent HIV. For more information regarding withdrawal or other risk reduction strategies check out www.top2bottom.org.au
