HIV/STDs Statistics and Getting HIV/STDs

[nibilheim]

I have been reading several posts about likelihood and statistics of contracting HIV (along with some other STDs). I have found that several discussions stating that chances are often small. I read such statistics as the changes of contracting HIV are 0.1% or 1 in 10000 among other figures. Many of the people here who post sexual encounters and worry about contracting STDs usually get a reply that their chances of infection are low.
So I was wondering if chances are really low (as opposed to what I once thought, where any initial/brief contact with an HIV infected person would give you HIV), why do so many people of the population have STDs? Does the number just seem so large because the total population is so large?
How CAN someone contract HIV/STDs? Would they have to have sex with someone known to have a disease and to do it several times?

[gracefromHHP]

most people NEVER get std testing. they erroneously assume that no symptoms means no std so they don't bother with testing.  most people also never have protected sex. You don't know that you have something, you are more likely to have unprotected sex and transmit std's to others. it really is THAT simple!!  

we recommend protected sexual contact because it works. If everyone followed this, the std stats would be far different from the 1 out of every 3 that we usually quote for general rates of infection of all std's.    Also this forum would be dead as a doornail and Vance and I would be out celebrating in a bar and ruining our livers  if more folks used condoms :)

grace

[Sleeplessinseattle2012]

The answer you are looking for is simple,
Most stds don't show any symptoms and some are easily spread without protection. However you are more likely to contract gon or clap than hiv
Hiv is a difcult dieses to contract because it can not live outside the body and can not survive in harsh enviorments. The 1-1000 is accurate although their have been people who get infected after one exposure. Realistically some stds are easier to get than others and it all depends on the situation.

[Life360_Dave]

I think the spreading has to do promiscuity of the general population. One person gets it from another, they both get treated but the other people who had sex were not contacted to get treated. Its like the pyrimid effect.

It only takes one contact to get STD's and HIV. I think it depends on the person and the conditions of the sex act.

Low risk with protection means the enviornment to transmit the disease was not met.