Internet dating is a modern, and very popular way to meet members of the opposite sex, and although some old-fashioned types may think that it takes away from the romance of that chance meeting that turns to love, the reality is that you are much more likely to meet a compatible companion or partner that way than by frequenting the supermarket or tennis club.

Before embarking on internet dating though, it is important to realise that sexual encounters carry a responsibility. It is not so much an awareness of the need for contraception, because that is easily dealt with now that the pil is freely available, but more the possibility of transmitting an infection to someone else. Unfortunately, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are relatively common and can range from the fairly trivial like Chlamydia to the potentially life threatening Aids.

Fortunately it is very straightforward nowadays to get a sexual health screen and one should feel morally obliged to do so before dating which could lead to sexual encounters. In fact you owe it to yourself to make sure you don't have an infection that you're not aware of because if you have and it's left untreated you could be compromising your own health. (more...)