Unsafe sex among HIV-positive men increasing

ST. PAUL (AP) -- Since April, at least three Iowa men have told police they believed Aaron Dahlberg when he told them he was HIV-negative before having unprotected sex with them.

Now the Inver Grove Heights man faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of an Iowa charge of criminal transmission of HIV. He calls the charge the work of a vindictive barfly who was angry about a soured relationship.

"I would not wish HIV upon anyone," Dahlberg said. "What I'm being accused of is so heinous that it makes me sick to my stomach."

Dahlberg is free on $35,000 bond. Karen Egerton, a prosecutor for Iowa's Johnson County, said all of his accusers have so far tested negative, although the law doesn't require that victims be infected in order to prosecute.

While Dahlberg says he's innocent, others say the case illustrates a disturbing new trend. After nearly 20 years and millions of dollars spent on AIDS awareness, an increasing number of HIV-positive gay and bisexual men are having unprotected sex, experts say.

"We're really five years behind the times in this," said Bob Tracy, community affairs director of the Minnesota AIDS Project.