There are a number of sexual activities that carry low to no risk for HIV transmission.

Kissing:
Saliva does not transmit HIV and is therefore completely safe.

Touching, massage, frottage:
There is no risk of HIV being passed on through rubbing bodies against each other.

Rimming:
You cannot get or pass on HIV by rimming (licking out someone’s arse). However hepatitis A and gut infections such as shigella are easily passed on this way.

Masturbation and Mutual Masturbation:
Masturbation (i.e. wanking) is a very common sexual activity, and it completely safe for HIV and STIs.

Mutual masturbation is when two people masturbate each other by touching or rubbing each other’s genitals and is considered a safe activity for HIV—although using the other person’s cum, pre-cum or vaginal fluids as lubricant does present a risk.

Oral Sex:
Oral sex carries a very small risk for HIV transmission. For more detailed information, check out our Oral Sex page.

Fingering:
Playing with someone’s arse or vagina with your fingers is a low risk activity for passing on HIV. However, it is important to keep your fingernails trimmed so as not to cut the wall of the anus or vagina. It’s a good idea to wash your hands well after fingering someone’s arse to prevent gut infections being passed on.

Fisting:
Fisting means inserting your fist in someone’s arse or vagina. Fists can create serious cuts in the lining of the arse or vagina, which can allow HIV to be passed on if the person being fisted is then fucked without a condom, or if a finger or sex toy with cum, vaginal fluid or blood on it is inserted into someone else’s arse or vagina. The person doing the fisting could also get HIV if they have any cuts or scratches. Latex gloves are important for protecting both participants. Surgical gloves are best. Be sure to remove your watch and any jewellery before fisting.

Sex Toys:
HIV can be transmitted from person-to-person via sex toys such as dildos, vibrators and butt-plugs, if they are being shared. Putting a condom on toys and changing the condom before using it on a different person will prevent HIV being passed on. Alternatively, you can wash sex toys thoroughly with soap and hot water after each person. Sex toys that are shared but not cleaned can also transmit other STIs (sexually transmissible infections).

Douching:
Douching is a way of cleaning your arse before being fucked. This is done by inserting a tube into your arse and flushing it with water. Douching increases the risk of HIV infection because it removes the mucous lining of your arse. Also, using a douche with a nozzle can cause tiny cuts.

Piercing:
Many people find body and genital piercings a turn-on. There are a few things about piercings to be aware of:

• Genital piercings such as a Prince Albert (a ring through the bottom of the head of the penis) can cause tears and abrasions in the anus or vagina during fucking
• Be careful that piercings on the cock don’t tear the condom
• New piercings do occasionally get infected: if this happens to your genital piercing, avoid sex until it has healed as the infection can increase chances of passing on or getting HIV
• Like tattooing, getting a piercing involves penetrating the skin with a needle and so could pass on HIV or other STIs if the needle is not adequately sterilised between piercings.
  

Watersports:
The terms 'watersports' and 'piss-play' refer to sexual acts involving urine. Since HIV is not present in urine, watersports carry no risk of HIV transmission.

BD/SM:
The letters BD/SM stand for bondage and discipline, and sadism and masochism, which refer to practices involving dominance, submission, discipline, punishment, bondage, sexual role-playing, sexual fetishism, sadomasochism, and power exchange, as well as the full spectrum of mainstream personal and sexual interactions.

Fantasy and role-play are where people act out particular fantasies or role-play characters during sex. Not all role-playing actually involves sex, although some of it does.

These activities are generally no riskier for HIV or STI transmission than any other kinds of sex and the same guidelines around safe sex apply . For people who may be into 'blood-sports' extra precautions should be paid to ensure HIV and other blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C are not transmitted.