COUPLES WHO "SWING" & THE PRACTICE OF "SAFE" SEX

Swinging couples or swingers is not a new phenomenon, in fact, it has been going on for some time between consenting couples. A swinging couple understands fully the sexual needs and desires of their partners. It is understandable that some people may question the relevance of HIV amongst the swingers community and wonder why this disease hasn't become rampant, as it has amongst gays.

One would have to assume that there are those individuals and couples within the swinging community that are not meticulous about their sexual health and hygiene - safe sex - especially when they initiate a swinging relationship with another swinging couple. It is well known that at swinger turnouts, people swap partners indiscriminately without any forethought of sexually transmitted diseases. With the frequent occurrence of small orgy style behavior, where safe sex is rarely practiced and the need for protected oral sex is not a consideration - it does make one wonder why there has only been one reported case of infectious HIV reported amongst swingers.

Is there a valid reason that HIV has not become more prominent within the swinger community?

One has to surmise that the lack of I.V. drug use plays a large part in this equation. It is well documented that intravenous drug use is the primary way of spreading HIV within a community. This activity is frowned upon by swingers. Swingers - like gays, come from all forms of society - and the social standing of individuals within the swinger community are usually professional and usually married with children - not to be typified with or defined as hard drug users who are prepared to share a needle attached to a syringe.

Another very valid motive is the non-acceptance of bisexual males within the swinger lifestyle when compared with bisexual females. There exists the probability that if female swingers wanted male-male contact, that the prevalence of male bisexuals would increase, but at present, there only exists a very low percentage of male bisexuals. According to statistics, gay and bisexual males have a higher then usual risk of contracting HIV, so this would suggest that the number of male bisexuals and gays that practice "swinging" is extremely low and hence the lack of escalation of HIV within the swinger community lifestyle.

When couples use swinging within steady relationships it can facilitate in the establishment of an honest sexual background between couples. People that are known to fear the risk of contamination with AIDS/HIV downplay their sexually hastiness within risk groups. Swinging now being accepted as an open style relationship that doesn't necessitate the need to lie about their sexual history and, this in itself can reduce the risk of STD's.

Most swinging couples prefer social as well as sexual relationships with other like-minded couples, and they view swinging as a social behavior, with sex just being a part of it. Most swingers would be highly regarded amongst themselves because only a very small minority of swingers have non discretional sex.

Would-be swinger couples can wish to get to know people socially before entertaining the fact of accepting them into interpersonal sexual relationships. Swingers usually have well known and trusted swinging partners that they see regularly on a social level or maintain relationships with other swingers whose STD status is well known. Not all swinger couples have unprotected sex. Well in excess of half of them are responsible adults who began using protection after it became clear that HIV was mainly being spread by unprotected sex.

There is a small number of the swinging population that go to events just to socialise. There are others who prefer to soft swap ie: swap their partner for heavy petting, and then return to their predominant partners to engage in sex. Some lifestyle couples have a 'fluid-monogamous' relationship - a relationship in which neither partner is allowed to exchange bodily fluids with anyone else apart from their partner.

Whatever the combination of whatever reasons, it is obvious that swingers are doing the right thing somewhere along the line, and with luck this "trend" will remain to exist amongst swinging couples to reduce the spread of any STD.