Australians of all ages love to travel overseas. Air travel is commonplace, cruises are back in vogue and it is rite of passage for many young people to backpack to exotic locations. Business is increasingly being conducted on a global scale and Australians often travel overseas for work, meetings and conferences.

Australians also have sex overseas. Often fueled by alcohol and other substances, people become uninhibited and let their hair down when traveling and take risks they would not necessarily take in Australia. They meet new people and often increase their sexual activity and number of sexual partners. In recent years, more Australians have acquired HIV and other infections whilst traveling or living overseas than ever before.

Many Australians don’t realise that sex in other cities is a risky business where they are likely to be exposed to a number of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses (BBVs). HIV, gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia and hepatitis B and C are more common overseas than in Australia, especially in Africa and South-East Asia. Some of the STIs acquired during overseas travel are also more likely to be resistant to standard treatments.

People may also have sex with a sex worker overseas, without necessarily exchanging money. In many parts of Asia and Africa, HIV and STI prevalence rates are extremely high amongst sex workers. Whereas the Australian sex industry is extremely safe with almost universal condom use, sex workers overseas do not routinely use condoms. This is because the possession of condoms may be illegal, they cannot afford them or they get paid more for having sex without condoms. In order to stay safe, take your own condoms and lube and use them.

So if you are traveling to other countries where HIV, STIs and BBVs are more common and you engage in risky behaviour, your chances of bringing home some unwanted souvenirs are greatly increased.

For more info visit our Sex In Other Cities website www.sexinothercities.com.au