It’s hard to know if you are safe anymore —ÿeven in Ames, Iowa.

Now, I am not writing about the demise of society, but we do seem to be destroyting ourselves. We fall victim to others’ mistakes, and all too often, we fail to take responsibility for our own.

A Missouri case demonstrates exactly this. It deals with sex, disease, crime, legislation and so much more.

Last week, the Missouri legislature flexed some muscle when they toughened a law regarding AIDS “supertransmitters,” a CNN interactive report said.

It all resulted from a case in which Darnell “Bossman” McGee decided to knowingly spread the HIV virus by having sex with more than 100 women.

This reminds us of another recent case in the news in which Nushawn Phillips did practically the same thing.

The good thing with the McGee case — Missouri decided to make it easier to prosecute people who infect others with the virus, especially people who have been deemed “supertransmitters.”

Missouri had a law on its books saying the plaintiff in such a case had to prove the defendant was deliberately infecting another with HIV —ÿa difficult thing to prove. Now, the legislature broadened the law, saying someone whose reckless behavior, like that of McGee, leads to infecting others can be reprimanded by the law.

All states need to take a look at the Missouri law and follow suit.

Iowa Sen.. Johnie Hammond said there is a law on the books in our state that tackles the issue.

It is important that states do this. Regardless of political affiliation, all elected representatives and senators should realize how deadly acts such as Phillips and McGee’s are. They should be considered as devastating as murder. It is attempted murder of some sort.

But in these cases, it isn’t like a gunshot or a stabbing. Those manners of violence seem more humane than knowingly infecting others with a disease which leads to suffering and withering away, along with needed extensive medical treatment costing thousands of dollars.

But the need for laws to address behavior similar to that of McGee is not the only issue. We also need to consider education.

One of McGee’s victims was “Shirley,” a woman who wished to have her identity kept confidential when CNN interviewed her. She participated in sexual activities with McGee when she was only 15 years old and now has AIDS.

Yes, McGee is at fault for making “Shirley” suffer from AIDS. She questions why McGee didn’t tell her — “why he didn’t just give [her] the opportunity to say yes or no?”

Apparently, many of the women McGee infected were teenagers drawn in by his “splashing money in their face[s], buying them what they want, making them feel good,” she said. And “Shirley” also said she didn’t know better at the time.

In times like today, all teenagers should be aware of such dangers. As these cases are coming to light, it is important people realize what is really going on, and that often people don’t know their partner like they should.

Whether you are age 15, 21, 35, 50 or 85, you should always know your sexual partner before you agree to give a piece of yourself. There’s more to sex than the physical activity. It is also an emotional experience that can dramatically change your relationship with your partner after the fact —ÿand this change can be positive or negative.

People need to know more. Ask questions, and I don’t mean questions about your major and where your hometown is. If you are going to sleep with someone, you need to do a little investigation.

And you should know the person longer than the time it took you to walk home from the bar — much longer.

Sex shouldn’t just happen. Sure, it can be spontaneous, but there should be some aforethought put into it, by both parties. And it is best to cooperate by talking about it beforehand.

You might think things like this are irrelevant, because you are young, free and Iowa isn’t like that.

Wrong. I distinctly remember a Zoology 155 lecture from my freshman year. I remember a triangle shaped distribution diagram showing how a monogamous sexual relationship can be affected by sexually transmitted diseases.

You can go ahead and date and have sex with one person, but if consider how many people do that with different boyfriends or girlfriends, you really should be worried about the people you indirectly “slept with.”

This multiplying effect is what can cause problems at college, especially at Iowa State. Imagine what would happen if just one HIV-infected person were thrown into the monogamous relationship diagram.

That is why laws like the one in Missouri are important. Whether a college student was knowingly or unknowingly transmitting the HIV virus, it is something that fatally endangers sexual partners.

That is why everyone, especially college students, should take heed and be prepared to ask questions of a potential sexual partner. If you don’t feel comfortable asking a future bedfellow these questions, that should be a signal you don’t know him or her well enough to be under the sheets together.

It’s called common sense and it has eroded. Let’s not let it be more destructive.

If you think you might be infected with HIV, get tested. The student health center administers tests confidentially and for free.

Start talking because a lot of investigation is necessary.

You don’t have to grill a potential partner with questions, just feel comfortable. And protect yourself.

---

Erin Payne is a senior in journalism and mass communication and political science from Rock Rapids. She is the opinion editor of the Daily.