Bernard: Eliminating sexual myths critical. - PHOTOS BY CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
Gillian Bernard, sector and community response HIV prevention coordinator of the National HIV Prevention and Control Programme, Health Ministry:
WE SEE, as a result of social factors, where young girls are having sexual relations with men who are HIV-infected that are older, whether or not it is the Viagra phenomena or it is just a socio-economic reality: the need for the school books or the bus fare or the lunch money. On average, 50 per cent of the young women reported that their sexual partners were five to 10 years older than they were.
CONDOM SHYNESS
We need to recognise that women are seriously vulnerable to this epidemic. The number of newly reported AIDS cases for the first quarter of this year in women in the age group 20 to 34 was 25 per cent higher than men in the same age group. (Yet) in 2004, a study commissioned by the Ministry of Health which sought to determine barriers and drive condom use among Jamaican women, found some rather interesting points which would suggest that women are in an induced stupor or totally passive.
Most said they never carried condoms. Why? Because they thought that condom use or just having a condom at hand would signify to their male partner promiscuity or infidelity.
MEN INTO MYTHS
In our KABP (knowledge, attitude, behaviour, practice) study in the same year, men were found to be more likely to subscribe to myths (such as) virgin cures.
CHANGE MINDSET
I am glad that many of the panellists called for the radical change in the way that we socialise our young people and the way that we really think about issues relating to gender and sexuality. There is a myth among young men that if they were to use a condom, at the instance of first sex, their sexual prowess would decline. This is very serious because one-fourth of reported AIDS cases in males were from having sex with prostitutes.
This sort of discourse (is needed) for us to adequately engage our public to ... get women to become active and to overcome socialising factors that suggest that to be ready and protect one's self is to be wild or promiscuous.
