These stories were reviewed and approved by a local panel for use in HIV prevention programs conducted in street and community settings. The stories are real and were published with a photo of the role model (or another person from the target population). Role model stories like these may be used as a part of a comprehensive HIV prevention program that includes information about other risk-reduction strategies such as drug treatment and avoidance of high-risk activities.

CATHY CONSIDERS CONDOMS

"I spend a lot of time with my daughter, Barbara, who lives with her husband. One day we got talking about using condoms. Barbara told me about how she and her husband use condoms all the time. She really seemed to know a lot, so I asked her some questions. Barbara told me she was worried about me being with a drug user."

"Later that day, I thought about the talk we had. I realized that I don't really trust my boyfriend that much, he could be shooting up with some of the guys he works with. He goes to bars a lot and there are always guys looking to get high. I don't want to get AIDS, and since he's not going to stop using, I need to look out for myself."

"I brought up condoms before, and he wouldn't try them. When I had one and told him, ‘let's try this,' he said, ‘No; next time, next time.'"

"I'm really impressed with my daughter. She got her old man to use condoms; she's a pretty strong person. I need to get stronger, too. When he tells me we'll talk about it later, I'm going to have to say, ‘We need to talk about it now.'"

"I know I can get him thinking about using condoms. I'll start leaving some laying around so he can get used to the idea and I can bring up the subject easier. I know Barbara won't let up on me about using them, and that will help me to keep after him."

MIGDALIA

My name is Migdalia. I am 23 years old and have lived on the Lower East Side for six years. I first met my old man Louie about two years ago. At first he and I were very close but after a couple of months of going out we broke up. We just didn't get along, that's all.

One year later I met Louie on the street, he and I started talking and he asked me out. I hadn't been with anyone for a while so I thought, "Why not?" He and I dated for a few weeks and fell in love. Louie moved in with me three months after asking me out.

After he moved in I started hearing things on the street, rumors about Louie using drugs. One morning a friend came up to me and asked if I knew that Louie was getting high. I told her that I didn't think that was true. He didn't seem to be acting any different, and I would have noticed if he was spending more money than usual. One night I noticed a little bruise on his arm. He said he had bumped it against a wall, but I had seen bruises like that before, it was where people who shoot drugs inject themselves.

I didn't know if he was using the needle alone or if he was sharing. I knew about AIDS and condoms. I knew that using them stopped people from getting infected with the virus. I decided to talk with Louie about using condoms.

We fought all night. He kept saying that if I was going to make him use condoms then he didn't want to be with me anymore. I kept telling him that's fine we'll break up.

Finally he agreed to at least try condoms. We learned a few tricks about using them, like if you put a tiny drop of spermicide inside the condom and some more on the outside, it gives both the man and the woman that "wet feeling" you get when you don't use condoms.

One night about two weeks after we had the big fight, Louie said that he felt that I must really care about myself and also about him. That using condoms can help protect both of us and that is important. We decided to stay together and to use condoms when we make love.

PEACEFUL EASY FEELING

My name is Lorna. I have three lovely children, and my boyfriend shoots drugs. I found out about him using drugs about three months after we were together. It made me feel bad when I found out he was using. I felt left out, left out of things. But I never considered leaving him because I love him.

Then I found out that I was at risk for getting AIDS. Until that time we hadn't been using condoms at all. I was a little frightened because I thought about my children, that they were at risk also. When I told him what I found out about AIDS and practicing safe sex because he was shooting up, at first he was like, "Nothing's gonna happen to us," and he didn't want to use the condoms. I had to insist. He didn't just come around and say, "Okay, let's try them." This all happened over several weeks. He finally decided that if it was going to make our relationship last, he would go ahead and use it.

But even now I still have to keep reminding him about once a week because he still wants to have "natural" sex. I tell him that using condoms makes me feel safer, more secure. I can rest without being worried about me getting AIDS. It helps my nerves, that's for sure.