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What if you had a secret? A secret so big that, when revealed, it would make your girlfriend/boyfriend pull away from you in fear of contamination. This would be a hurtful experience. However, this is what faces many HIV positive people.
To help HIV positive people find an ideal partner who shares or accepts their positive status, Ben Sassman launched The Positive Connection in September 2002, as a website dedicated to online dating for HIV positive people. Hence, there is no longer the need for HIV positive people to fear the reactions of their partner when they tell them about their status.
If you have already heard about The Positive Connection, it might be that you followed its link from Q Online at www.gal.co.za website. Or perhaps you saw Sassman being interviewed on SABC2 Morning Live and Talk Radio 702. But if you have not, until now, seen or heard of this wonderful website, read on to get the low down. A free membership is available on the online daring website, whilst R150 (in 2005) will get you a Gold Membership. You can even add a photo to your personal profile.
The Positive Connection has a holistic concern in its users. It provides users with access to experts if they require information regarding HIV-related health issues, thereby taking care of their physical well-being, not only their love lives. Sassman helps HIV sufferers also by donating 10% of the website’s profits to charity. Sassman, therefore, has created a website with a concern for being socially responsible. This is uncharacteristic for an online dating website.
What also makes The Positive Connection rise above the rest is the fact it is the only online dating website catering to HIV positive people in South Africa. This makes it, irreplaceable, a gem amongst the homogeneity of many dating websites currently available.
Anonymity is one of the features that make the internet so attractive to its users. In order to ensure this, users of The Positive Connection website have been promised by Sassman that databases containing their personal details will never be sold. This spares users the bombardment of advertising, which will undoubtedly appeal to many. However, caution should be taken, as nothing is ever entirely safe from the hackers and code-crackers of the internet, who view hacking into your ‘C-drive’ as a sport.
Speaking of sport, one could think of serial dating as a new kind of sport. It takes practice, experience and staying power if you want to succeed. Sassman’s website makes this activity a whole lot easier. He states, “Finding the right person is expensive. Two to three women out of 100 are what it comes down to from online dating”. This means that you are spared the excruciating pain and agony of sitting through dinners with people who are so ill suited to your personality. Instead of having to kiss hundreds of toads, hoping for a miracle, online and speed dating, present you with a handful of carefully selected dates that are guaranteed to be compatible.
Sassman’s website provides a ‘one-stop shop’ service for HIV positive people who are looking for love. The website eliminates the potential problems that come with revealing your status. In addition, one receives a wealth of information on HIV/AIDS. Using The Positive Connection is a truly positive, enjoyable experience!
Power to the People
Watch this to help with your HIV status. After watching this documentary call Tine van der Maas on 081 573 5594 and she will guide you on her Wellness Program.