Your son has AIDS but won't tell his girlfriend, would you?

Australia
October 11, 2006 8:10pm CST
Your son gets infected with the HIV virus from treading on a used syringe at the beach. He has tested positive and knows he is infected but he hasn't developed AIDS yet and is showing no symptoms. His childhood sweetheart and current girlfriend has been close to the family for so long she feels like your daughter. He refuses to tell her he has HIV because he thinks the risk of her getting it is very low, and she has said she would leave anyone who was sick like that. He has said if you tell her he will leave home and never speak to you again. What do you do? Do you tell her and risk losing your son but save her life, or leave it for him to do and hope he does the right thing?
1 person likes this
28 responses
• United States
20 Oct 06
shasahnk - shashank
Well one I would tell her, because that is her life we are talking about, and two that is illegal. If you know that you are infected with anything of the sort you can not just NOT tell the person your with they have a right to know. Lets just flip the rolls lets say it's the girl who has the HIV and not your son.. Would you want her, and her parents keeping it from him? I know I wouldn't. I sure hope that if indeed this is a true story that it doesn't get transfered to her.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Oct 06
I guess I should read the other comments lol, I didn't see she had already said it was illegal. Glad I'm not the only one that knows about it!!!
• India
12 Oct 06
i will kicked him out of the house because he has no right to runied anyone lifes i will not tolerate him any how because why should anyone other suffers for his own deeds i hav sufferd for my own deeds in life
@bigedshult1 (1613)
• United States
12 Oct 06
hot if he keep his pants zepet up all hte time
• Australia
12 Oct 06
Yeah, I am sure that would work. Can you imagine a young couple, perhaps in their early twenties, staying apart till they get married or whatever. Perhaps some couples do, so if we extend the scenario to their marriage. They are getting married. Perhaps they are married. They are completely entitled to sleep with each other. What do you do then? Would you tell her even if he still refused because he doesn't want his wife to divorce him?
@aquarian83 (1944)
• United States
12 Oct 06
i would go n tell her as she too will get this dreadful disease
• United States
12 Oct 06
yeah u have said right thing...
@clownfish (3269)
• United States
23 Oct 06
I would tell the girlfriend. Even though your son thinks the risk of transmitting it is low, there is really no way to know for sure. Not everything is known about AIDS and how it is transmitted. Even if your son lost his girlfriend and got angry, it's a lesson in responsibility that he has to learn. Being ignorant and secretive will not help us get control over this epidemic.
@happygal68 (3275)
• United States
23 Oct 06
I would have to tell her. That way should she decide to stay with him she could take the necessary precautions. She has a right to know this information, even if it would upset your son that you stepped in. He doesn't know for sure she will leave him, but it could also save her life because she knows the full situation.
@scooter1024 (1243)
• United States
21 Oct 06
Thats a hard decision to make. I would do all I could to get him to tell her because she has a right to know. I think I would risk my relationship with my son because I wouldnt want to support him not being responsible. Thats just not right. He will later thank me for it. It may take him a long time but he will. That wasnt fair to him to get it like that and it wouldnt be fair for her especially if he knew about it.
@Stiletto (4579)
20 Oct 06
I would tell her - definitely she has a right to know. Although I would let him know first that I was going to tell her to give him one final opportunity to tell her himself. Despite what she says she probably would not leave him if he told her - although she almost certainly will if he doesn't have the decency to tell her and she finds out elsewhere!
@xxtreme (592)
• India
23 Oct 06
i will tell
@srhelmer (7029)
• Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
20 Oct 06
I would. If he has the disease and doesn't tell her, he could be criminally liable.
@bigedshult1 (1613)
• United States
17 Oct 06
yes if you doint you coud be anassers befotr the fact if she ogot it and dide form it you coud go to jail for not letter her know if some one tols the da in your town os do what is right no mater what hapen betwenyou and you son
@kids91911 (4363)
• United States
23 Oct 06
Yes it is her right to know. The son is violating her rights.
• United States
16 Oct 06
Yes I would.
@Ramafoko (140)
• South Africa
20 Oct 06
i will tell her
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
16 Oct 06
Oh, now thats what i call being in a pickle! ummm! well he's your son will always be your son no matter what and he may at first be mad but he'd forgive you in hte long run especially after he realizes you did the right thing. But the girl needs to know. It should be her choice if she wishes to remain or not but she also needs to learn all the facts to..So be strong...tell her gently.....and she will love you even more for it..she might just surprize you and stay with him to,
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
16 Oct 06
that's crazy! now she will get Aids.
@javamama (147)
• United States
16 Oct 06
Absolutely...I would rather save the girlfriends life now and risk my son not speaking to me than watch her slowly die. Besides I am his mother and there will come atime when bygones will be bygones and he will come around. She will thank me and so will he in the long run.
• United States
16 Oct 06
yes i would tell her. I cant let a life being destroyed.
@ngty69 (971)
• India
16 Oct 06
Yes, I would definately tell his girlfriend that, he has AIDS because I know that his life is going to suffer now but I don't want his girlfriend to suffer because of him.
@antoisra (820)
• Sri Lanka
16 Oct 06
Of course, you can't waste ANOTHER life with not telling her. If I had a son that would be to act like that, risking someone else's life, I'd be glad if he walked away, even if it'd be hard.