AIDS, Condoms and hookers

AIDS, Condoms and hookers

In response to the letter of Wawat Rusmanawati published in
The Jakarta Post on Sept. 5, and the letter from Azizah Soebagijo
(MTP Secretary) on Sept. 9, please allow us to clarify.

1. The series of AIDS prevention public service announcements
(PSAs) were developed by the Aksi Stop AIDS Program (ASA) to
support the Gerakan Nasional Penanggulangan AIDS (The National
HIV/AIDS Prevention Movement). The National Strategy for HIV/AIDS
Prevention proclaimed by the Coordinating Minister of Public
Welfare in 1994 and still in effect, states:

- Every person has the right to receive correct information to
protect themselves and others from HIV/AIDS infection.

- HIV/AIDS prevention is directed towards education and
explanation of behaviors that reduce the opportunity for HIV
transmission and to change behaviors that are high risk.

- Issues such as women's empowerment to negotiate a sexual
encounter ... availability and use of condoms ... constitute
important issues for effective implementation of this policy.
These PSAs fall within the above framework of the National HIV
Prevention Strategy.

2. The objective of these PSAs is to reduce harm from high risk
behaviors (extramarital/premarital sex) currently occurring in
Indonesian society. Harm reduction is linked to messages
encouraging faithfulness towards spouses and abstinence for
unmarried youths.

3. The spirit of the PSAs encouraging condom use in high risk
situations is to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission and to protect
housewives and their babies. According to estimates based on
Department of Social Welfare survey data, there are between
260,000 and 370,000 female sex workers in Indonesia. Available
data suggests they service more than seven million Indonesian
men, more than 60 percent of whom are married and who risk
infecting their wives and children.

4. The assumption that condom PSAs on HIV/AIDS encourage
premarital and extramarital sex is not correct. In India,
Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, similar condom promotion decreased
the number of visits of men to sex workers.
5. These PSAs are not made by, nor do they have any association
with any condom producer.

ADJI DHARMOYO

Prevention Marketing Specialist

Program ASA Jakarta