HIV Trasmission HIV (the virus that can lead to AIDS) can be avoided.
   HIV is passed from one person to another when infected: blood semen (cum) or 
   vaginal secretions (cunt juice) goes from one person's body into another, and
   then makes its way into your bloodstream. You don't have to worry about: saliva 
   (spit) perspiration (sweat) urine (piss) or feces (shit) on the outside of the 
   body always remember to use common sense. Ensure that first-aid items are
   readily at hand. By remembering these basics, you can make any kind of sex safer.

   SM Risk Reduction Most SM activities have always been low-risk for
   getting HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Responsible SM has always been
   about practising safety. Getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), like 
   HIV can be prevented. But there are other possible dangers with SM. For more
   information on how to avoid these, read material like the On the Safe Edge
   A Manual for SM play by Trevor Jacques, et al, Lesbian SM Safety Manual by
   Pat Califia; SM 101 by Jay Wiseman; or Screw the Roses, Send me the Thorns 
   by Molly Devon and Phillip Miller. Generalized information on HIV and STDs
   is available from most Community Health Centres, doctor's offices/clinics
   or community AIDS organizations.

   SM Etiquette Use the etiquette of SM. It's really just a matter of
   respecting the person(s) with whom you're playing. You should agree upon a 
   safety word and what you want to do in a scene before you start the scene.
   A safety word (or motion) is used by any partner to stop the scene immediately
   no questions asked. There is no shame in using the safety word. It's there
   for both of you. You should respect it and your partner's limits and feelings 
   at all times. Always consider your partner(s). Discuss interests, pleasures
   perceived needs etc. If you are unsure of a certain sexual or SM activity
   then hold off until you're familiar with the safety aspects of it. Find out
   as much as you can beforehand, so you can make a decision about how and/or
   when to proceed. If you are HIV+, think about how infection with STDs or 
   re-infection with HIV could affect your immune system. Bow out when necessary.
   For example, don't deep throat a sore throat. By being interested in your 
   health and practising safer sex, you are doing a lot to help stop the 
   trasmission of HIV and other STDs. Always ask before using someone else's
   toy. They may not want you to use it, or it may be broken. By practising the
   guidelines mentioned in this pamphlet, you will be making your contribution
   to the community of safer SM players.

   Lubricants Lubricants (lubes) can be lots of fun, whether used for play or 
   insertion. Flavoured brands can be used externally or for oral sex. If you're 
   going to insert something into someone, you should only use a water-based
   unscented brand like K-Y - Lubafax, Muco, Safer Sex lube, Astroglide, or Wet. 
   Never use oil-based lubes (like Vaseline or Crisco); they weaken latex condoms
   and gloves making them more likely to break. Also, during a scene, you shouldn't
   take lube from a large container. Either buy small portions and throw the packets
   away afterwards or put enough lube for this play time into something disposable 
   (like a paper cup or plate). Some brands come in pump jars. This makes sure that
   nobody's "dirty" hand, penis, or whatever can get into your personal supply of lube.

   Your Rectum The rectum (ass) is more delicate than most parts of your body
   and you should take care of it. Sticking things up your rectum - whether it's a
   finger, cock, dildo, fist, or anything else - can tear the rectal lining. Even 
   extremely tiny tears can open up the body and be places where HIV can get in. 
   Fucking without protection is a high-risk activity, since a penis ejaculates semen
   (cums). A penis also has a pee hole in the end, which can let viruses in. Always 
   use a latex condom, and use it properly. To put on a condom: first make sure the 
   penis is erect. If it's uncircumcised, pull back the foreskin before putting on the
   condom. Squeeze the air out of the tip. If the condom is round- ended and doesn't
   have a tip, squeeze the air out and leave 1 cm free at the tip of the penis. 
   Lubricate the outside of the condom really well with a water-based lube (like K-Y
   Muco, Wet, Safer Sex Lube, or Astroglide). Never use oil-based lube (like Crisco 
   or Vaseline); it can damage condoms. Pull out soon after you come, grabbing the 
   base of the penis to make sure the condom doesn't slip off. To be extra careful
   you can start fucking with a condom, and then pull out before you come - you can 
   then cum on the chest, thighs hand, or whatever. If you finger a rectum, be careful
   not to finger it if you have a cut or sore on your finger or if you have long/sharp
   nails. You could also use a latex glove when fingering. As for dildos, make sure 
   they have been cleaned before they go up your rectum (see the section on cleaning
   toys).

   Douching and Enemas If fisting, fucking, or dildos are part of your sexual
   activity, some people feel it is very important to have a clean ass or vagina.
   But douching, or using enemas before getting fucked, could leave you more open  
   to infection. They can wash away the surface mucous that's there to protect you. 
   Never share your douche bag. Clean your douche bag each time you use it. Also
   don't share the nozzles of metal shower douches. Get a separate nozzle for each
   friend, label it, and clean it between uses (see the section on cleaning toys).
   Douching or enemas should not be used after sex because they don't necessarily 
   wash things away - they can also push infected semen, blood or feces further 
   into the body. Infections and bacteria douched up into a woman's uterus and 
   fallopian tubes can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) - which could lead
   to infertility, or worse.

   Your Vagina Successful play with your vagina (cunt) depends on paying attention
   to detail, because a great variation of sensations occurs over very small areas.
   It's easy to bruise, cut, or tear your vagina, so you should take the same care to
   protect it whenever anything goes into it. The inner parts of the vagina are mucous
   membranes, so a good rule is to make sure that your play is less aggressive here. 
   Anything inserted into the vagina should be properly washed and have no sharp 
   edges. Your vagina can be damaged in other ways too -- you can: bruise or scrape 
   the cervix, which is located about 10 cm inside the vagina (the exact position 
   varies from woman to woman); tear the skin between the vagina and the rectum; 
   bruise the tissue between the pubic bones; or cut and scrape around the pee hole.
   All of these can open up your body to HIV - or other STDs - making vaginal 
   intercourse without a condom a high risk activity. A good rule of thumb is that too
   much lubricant is not enough. If you don't use enough, you may cause tears 
   and rips, or a mechanically induced vaginitis. Vaginal play depends on moving
   slowly to generate fairly symmetrical sensations, and remembering that the border
   between pleasure and pain here is razor thin. So get to know the size and shape 
   of your partner's vagina, and remember that it changes shape depending on where 
   she is in her menstrual cycle, and how excited she gets. 

   Toys When you were growing up, your mother probably told you to share your toys.
   Well, for sex toys, forget it! Anything that goes into a person's rectum and/or vagina
   could transmit HIV or other STDs, if it's shared. Any toy that draws blood can also 
   be a risk. If you're a bottom, the best idea would be to have your own toys and get 
   your top to use them on you. If you're a top, ask the bottom what toys he or she 
   owns. Or, if having sex with various bottoms, you should assign and mark toys 
   only for them. For example, if you spank someone with a sturdy wire brush, you're 
   going to draw blood. So, tape the bottom's name onto the back of the brush - maybe 
   even tape the brush to the bottom's leg - but don't use it on anyone else. The same
   applies to dildos, butt plugs, etc. 

   Cleaning your Toys You'll need these things to clean your toys: 
   - soap and hot water 
   - one part household bleach to nine parts water 
   - 10% hydrogen peroxide solution
   What if you use a toy on someone and you don't mean to draw blood - but you do?
   You don't have to throw away your toy. Wash it in soap and hot water, let it soak
   for 20 minutes in the bleach solution, rinse it in hot, clean water and then let
   it dry thoroughly (preferably overnight) before using it again. The same goes for
   douche nozzles. Leather toys are a bit different: To clean a leather toy (like a whip
   flogger or leather dildo), first wash the tips or ends with a strong foaming cleaner 
   using a hard bristle brush to get at nooks and crannies in the leather, then spray the
   tips or ends with hydrogen peroxide, wipe away the excess with paper towels, and 
   let them air dry for at least a few hours (preferably overnight) before using them.
   Cleaning dries out leather very quickly, so your toy should be treated with an 
   acceptable leather conditioner immediately after it has dried, or it will become 
   brittle and crack. It's a lot easier to clean a dildo after playing if you put a 
   condom on it before you use it. If you are a top, you can probably think of lots of
   ways to make your bottom put the condom on the dildo. It may sound complicated
   but it isn't really; just make sure any toy with semen, blood, or feces on it, or
   anything that's been in someone's rectum or vagina is cleaned. Make sure you get 
   any bleach or soap off the toy, by flushing it with clean water. Remember, uncleaned
   toys can transmit STDs - which could affect your whole immune system.

   Watersports Both urine and feces are fine on the outside of the body. Urine in
   your mouth is a very low-risk activity for getting HIV, but with an infected bladder 
   there is a high risk of catching other STDs. If you take feces in your mouth, there 
   is also the possibility of catching parasites or other STDs. Never brush your teeth
   or tongue just before playing, wait at least 3 to 4 hours; and never play when you 
   have cold sores, cankers, or cuts in your mouth. If there are any cuts on the outside
   of the skin, don't urinate (piss) or defecate (shit) near the cut(s). Remember that 
   a pimple (zit) is also a cut.

   Fisting Fists are big things. They can create more serious tears in the rectum or
   vagina than most sexual activities. If you get fisted, you're going to have to treat
   your rectum and/or vagina very, very carefully. Immediately after you've been 
   fisted never let anything else (a penis, dirty dildo, or a finger with semen, feces
   or blood on it) into your rectum or vagina that might be carrying HIV or other STDs. 
   If you are going to fist, wear latex gloves. They protect both the top and the bottom.
   Surgical gloves are the best. They usually go part of the way up the arm and are 
   good for most fistings. If you are going to be fisting deeply, use a calving glove.
   You can buy them at veterinarian supply stores. Calving gloves can bunch up, though
   and the wrinkles can cut the lining of the rectum or vagina. To avoid this, cut the 
   finger and thumb sections off the calving glove to leave the glove covering the palm
   of your hand, including the base of the thumb. Then put a surgical glove over the 
   calving glove. Don't fist if your fingernails are long. Cut them and smooth them down
   with an emery board, since they can tear the fisting glove or the bottom's rectum or
   vagina. If you have an open wound or hangnails on your hand(s), don't fist with that
   hand even with the precaution of gloves. Be sure the glove stays well lubed while 
   you're using it (see the section on lubricants). When pulling out (as with condoms)
   make sure to grab the open end of the glove so that it doesn't slip off. 

   Rimming (Licking someone's rectal opening) is very low risk for becoming infected
   with HIV, but high risk for the transmission of other STDs (like herpes, anal warts
   hepatitis A) as well as parasites. If you want to rim, use a condom cut length wise
   to form a sheet of latex, or use a latex barrier like a dental dam (which is more 
   difficult to find). Never brush your teeth or tongue just before your sexual play
   wait at least 3 or 4 hours. Rimming can be very enjoyable for your partner but always
   take precautions to ensure your own safety -- avoid leaving yourself open to STDs.

   Piercing, Shaving, Branding If you want to have a permanent piercing, make
   sure the rings or bars are new and sterile. You might be able to find a doctor or
   nurse to do the piercing in a sterile way. If you can't, have it done by or learn from 
   a professional piercer. Make sure the bars or rings are properly soaked in bleach and 
   then rinsed in water before they're inserted. Make sure only new, sterile are used 
   and then only on one person. If a temporary piercing is part of a scene, make sure
   you use sterile, disposable needles. Us them once -- only once -- on one person. 
   Then dispose of them safely. (See the section on cleaning needles, and disposing 
   needles under Drugs and Alcohol). As for branding, heat-branding is safe because of
   the high temperatures involved (heat kills HIV). Knife-branding should only be done
   with a knife that's been soaked in bleach for twenty minutes and then rinsed with
   water. Better yet, you can use a sterile scalpel with a disposable blade (scalpels 
   can be bought at medical supply stores). Use it once, put it in a strong narrow-
   necked plastic container, put the lid back on, and throw it in the garbage. 
   For piercing, branding, or shaving, any drops of blood should be wiped away with 
   sterile cotton balls. Soak the cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. You can also buy 
   pre-soaked separately wrapped cotton balls called "alcohol preps" or "alcohol rub".
   After use, put it in a plastic bag, tie up the bag, and put it in the garbage. 
   When starting a piercing, branding, or shaving scene, the area of the skin should
   first be wiped with rubbing alcohol, "alcohol preps" "Hibitane", or "Staphene" to 
   remove and fine dirt trapped by the skin's oil.

   Whipping If there's no break in the skin during whipping or flogging, then it's no
   problem at all. Depending on the material that the whip, quirt, or cat-o'-nine-tails
   is made of and the way it is used, it can draw blood if the skin is broken. During a 
   flogging or whipping scene, wipe up the blood the same way as you would for piercing 
   or branding, and always clean your flogger/whips (see the section on cleaning toys). 
   When in a more public forum, you should avoid breaking the skin, as blood can be 
   flicked from the flogger/whip during the return of the stroke.

   Drugs and Alcohol If you're into SM, you have to keep your wits about you.
   Mind-altering drugs - like tranquilizers, uppers, or hallucinogens - are not 
   recommended. If you use them, you'll be more likely to make mistakes. Alcohol 
   can have the same effect. Too much drugs or alcohol can lead to unsafe activities. 
   As for "poppers", they make your blood vessels bigger. This may increase your risk 
   of infection with HIV if you're getting fucked. Poppers are also hard on your heart
   and immune system. If you use injection drugs, a very easy way to pass on HIV is 
   by sharing your needles, syringes, or cookers. Use your own works and never share 
   them unless they are properly cleaned in bleach and water. 
   To clean your needle and syringe properly: 
   1) Fill the syringe completely with sterile water, shake it, and squirt it out. 
   2) Fill the syringe with full strength bleach and squirt a little out.
      Leave the rest in for 30 seconds, then squirt it out.
   3) Repeat step 2.
   4) Fill the syringe with sterile water, shake it and squirt it out.
   5) Repeat step 4 twice more. 
      (Bleach and sterile water can be obtained from your local needle exchange). 
   To dispose of your needle and syringe properly:
   Once a needle or scalpel is used, make sure the cap is put back on and the whole
   thing is placed in a strong, narrow-necked plastic container (with its lid on) 
   before disposal so no one handling your garbage gets pricked. You can also use a
   "sharps" container (see your local needle exchange).

   Electricity Electrical equipment (like the "Relax-A-Cisor" machine or 
   "Violet Wand") probably won't break skin, so there's not much risk for getting HIV
   from it. If it does break skin, wipe up any blood with disposable, sterile cotton 
   balls soaked in hydrogen peroxide, and cover the broken skin with a bandage. Since
   flexible, sticky electrical contacts pick up dirt from the skin, use them on one 
   person only. If you get body fluids on them, throw them away and get new ones.
   There is no way to clean them. Only use electric charges below the belly button
   you don't want the charge to affect the heart or the brain's own electric system.