Condom use, the safest
published: Thursday | July 13, 2006

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM sometimes at a loss for words by the naivety and/or ignorance of others. A perfect example was a letter in yesterday's edition (July 11, 2006) titled 'Abstinence is the only true answer to AIDS'. It is naïve to believe that people are going to stop having sex. That is why it is important to teach safe sex. Condom use in Jamaica is up 400 per cent since 1990. Although I applaud this fact, I must still point to the fact that condom use is radically under-utilised.

Calling condom use Russian roulette crossed the line from naivety to dangerous ignorance. This sort of smear campaign against safe sex is not only occurring in Jamaica, but in the United States as well and the consequences are starting to surface. Outside of abstinence, condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and pregnancy with an effectiveness of 99.99 per cent. Compare this to the fact that more than 85 per cent of young adults that pledge to remain virgins until marriage end up engaging in premarital sex. Furthermore, they are three times more likely to engage in unprotected sex than those that do not pledge.

It is time to stop chasing the unattainable ideal and focus on the best methods of protecting our people from unwanted pregnancy and HIV. The best approach is to encourage abstinence while teaching others who do not want to wait.

I am, etc.,

Puzzled Jamerican

side4fun@hotmail.com

Via Go-Jamaica