There are a lot of advocates around. Here and there. Some upfront. Others using pseudonames/identity.
How about you. Reactive or not. What is your stand to this ongoing Virus that is out there ready to ruin people's lives. What can you do to help?
I've asked the same question just now. Seen some groups distributing condoms and lubricants to establishments (ie bars, salon, spas). Even saw some free condoms in rest rooms. (http://pozziepinoy.blogspot.com/2014/03/partnering-with-doh.html?spref=tw&m=1)
And it gets me thinking. Are we doing the right advocacy? Forgive me if I may sound offensive. This is my personal perspective of it. Its like we are trying to promote pre-martial sex in a way. Providing free condoms would attract young people in engaging into something they're not yet supposed to do. I know and believe that the intention is clear- that is to have zero cases of HIV.
But arent we supposed to go back to basics. And start educating young people about the risk of pre-marital sex rather than saying "be safe". I think what we should do is to present all the risk factors as to why they should NOT engage with that activity.
I know its easier said than done. It takes a lot of effort in doing so.
As I ponder on this. It gets me thinking. What does the church have to say with everything happening to the PLHIV community? I feel guilty since I feel that Im not doing my part in keeping everyone informed about HIV. But i know ill get there in time.
I just hope and pray that the fear and stigma with PLHIV will soon pass. I pray that my Church will have its say about this as well. I hope that God will enlighten us with the right way of preventing HIV from spreading.
We always stand firm on what we believe is the right thing to do. But have we asked ourselves? What would HE do?
What would Jesus Do?
Disclaimer: I am not against the project being done by certain individuals about the free condom thing. I support it 100%. I just pray that we should also accompany it with proper learning about pre-marital sex.
-Zach
Studies in the US found that educating young people using the abstinence model alone was ineffective and caused more negative health outcomes.
ReplyDeleteYoung people who received comprehensive sex education on the other hand, had delayed onset of sexual activity, reduced the frequency of sexual activity, reduced the number of negative health outcomes. See this link:
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/1487
Of course, this is done in the US, but I think that similar studies done in Europe showed similar results.
I think that a study should be done in the Philippines and see if abstinence education will have a similar negative outcome and if a comprehensive sex education is a better model to teach young people.
In San Francisco, there was a very active education targeting MSM (men who have sex with men) in the 1990s due to AIDS. There was a significant drop in HIV infection rates and at one point, there was zero report of transmission. Infection rates have been increasing again, unfortunately, and mostly in young people who didn't witness the devastation of AIDS in the '80s and '90s.
Empowering people with the education that includes abstinence and comprehensive sex education may be a better approach than abstinence alone.
I doubt that sex education is taught in schools in the Philippines at all. It wasn't when I was growing up there. Condoms were not available either. When I visited bars in Manila, I didn't see condoms there. Perhaps, it has changed since I visited last November 2013.
Never really thought of random people reading my blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that comprehensive sex education and abstinence should go together as an approach here in the Philippines. Since unlike in the US. Our culture is still more modest.
I just think that HIV/Aids became such an epidemic and created stigma coz people treated it as a gay disease. And with that being said. People tend to label it as a specific stereotype. Thus created curiousity and what not.