Talking to Partners

Often partners are supportive and appreciate they have been informed that they may have been exposed to a transmissible STI. If one partner is untreated for an STI it can be passed back and forth.

You have a few choices:

1

Tell partners face-to-face

2

Send an online anonymous message as a text or email

3

Ask your doctor for assistance in informing sexual partners

1. Tell Your Partner Face-to-face

● Tell your sexual partner in person or over the phone. If you feel a text message is easier, this works too.
● Often we connect with our sexual partners on hook up apps like Grindr. You already have a dialogue going, so why not use this chat option to tell them you have syphilis?

2. Ask Your Doctor

● Your doctor may be able to arrange a Contact Tracer (a special public health worker) to inform them for you
● You won’t be identified in this process
● Your doctor can assist you in contacting your sexual partners and suggest they be treated also.

3. Online Anonymous Notification

● If you don’t feel comfortable telling your sexual partners in person, you can still let them know for free via an anonymous SMS or email by visiting one of the following sites:

Tips to assist you in telling your sexual partners:

  1.  Be upfront and let them know you that you had a recent sexual health test and you tested positive for syphilis.
  2. You may suspect you know who you contracted it from but don’t assume you are correct. If you suspect you contracted it from your partner, don’t assume they knew they had an infection and didn’t tell you—syphilis and other STIs often have no symptoms and people might not know they had it.
  3. Know the basics about syphilis to answer any questions your partner may have.
  4. Let your partner know you have been treated for syphilis and how easy it was to treat.
  5. Copy and paste this link https://letstreatsyphilis.info/testing-directory/ so they can easily access a list of testing centres.

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