Ramsay: We have to begin to change our social norms (and) start speaking to our children early. - CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
Hope Ramsay, lecturer, researcher at University of the West Indies HIV/AIDS Response Programme (UWIHARP), Community Health and Psychiatry:
KISKO BAG CRAZE DANGEROUS
The problem is that when the children become sexually involved, they are going to take risks. (For example) what are the alternatives to using a condom? I was doing an intervention in Montego Bay last year (and one child's) mother is a clinic attendant and she brings home gloves to use in the home. He steals the gloves and he cuts off the fingers and he uses them because the (complete) glove is too big. He said, 'Miss, when I can't get the gloves, you know what I do, I turn the kisko pop bag inside out.' Some of the alternatives they are using (include) balloons and foil paper. They stick it on with the masking tape.
What are girls doing to prevent pregnancy? Use the blue soap to wash out after sex and you won't get pregnant. If you sprinkle the vagina with a little pepper and salt, you won't get pregnant. I am kind of telling you about the ones that you are not familiar with ... Make a vinegar solution and do a douche, sucking on copper coin during sex (and) then you jump up and down after sexual activity so that the semen doesn't go up.
EDUCATE KIDS FROM BIRTH
If we are going to change the face of what is happening ... we have to begin to change our social norms (and) start speaking to our children early. When your children ask what is sex, don't say when you find out, tell me? As the child enters adolescence, if you want to keep that child close to you, you now need to become friends.
They are not looking for persons who are going to be pushing them away (and saying), 'What you know about that?' (and) 'How dare you bring that home?' I really would encourage everybody to be very honest with your children. Don't let it seem like you are such a paragon of perfection ... that you didn't have temptation or didn't kiss or fondle ... I am not saying you have to tell them everything (but) you are going to (have to) be honest with them because they already know that you were having sex.
Let's help our girls to recognise that they can be active in the true sense of the word, where they are not dependent on a man, and let's help our men and our boys to recognise that they have a role to help the woman. Let's become a society that works to promote equal rights for both men and women.
