people -- particularly women -- believe they will never become infected.

This is the view of executive director of the AIDS-support group STAR, Mrs.

Carolyn Armstrong, who has seen 15 new faces come through STAR's office at Angle Street in the past four months.

Of those infected 15 people, seven are women.

"It is an indication to me that still today in 1992 there are people believing it will not happen to them,'' said Mrs. Armstrong.

"Unfortunately, some people will not come to terms with the fact that the virus is no respecter of persons. They will have to experience it for themselves.'' She noted that nine of the 16 women STAR is currently working with were or are still married.

And she said while STAR is not interested in how those who seek its support contracted the AIDS virus, "it becomes fairly evident''.

"There are women who feel I've been married a number of years, I'm safe. It wouldn't happen to me,'' Mrs. Armstrong said.

"But I say to women beware it could happen to you, especially our young women.'' She said many young women who marry are either naive or "because of their emotional bonds'' choose to look the other way and hope that they will not become infected by their husband.

Meanwhile, she said, there are some men who have many partners during their bachelor days then look for a virgin to marry.

This, she stressed, is why it is so important for spouses to know their partner's sexual history.

But Mrs. Armstrong also stressed that is important for the community to be supportive of those who test HIV positive, particularly the infected mother who not only has to deal with the loss of her freedom but also the eventual loss of her children.

"While she's dealing with here own personal relationships, she also has to deal with family, friends, her children, those at her job. And one new symptom that surfaces could be the straw,'' she said.

Mrs. Armstrong predicted that as the spread of AIDS among heterosexuals continues, those in social services and the medical field will be overwhelmed and need the community's help more than ever to meet the needs of infected persons and their families.

"It is going to take caring people of this community to be more aware, listen to the problem, learn from it, and liberate themselves from the confines of prejudice, discrimination, to caring for those in the community through the means of unconditional love'' she said. "And prayer will have to be the foundation of this.''