To wear or not to wear, condom matters in Merauke
To wear or not to wear, condom matters in Merauke
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
Male customers to red-light districts in Merauke regency, Papua,
could be fined up to Rp 5 million (US$500) for refusing to wear a
condom during sex.
The penalty is based on Bylaw No. 5/2003 on HIV/AIDS
prevention, and the regency administration announced recently it
would begin enforcing the bylaw in an effort to stop the spread
of HIV/AIDS.
The head of Merauke regency's health office, Joseph Rinta,
told The Jakarta Post on Monday the bylaw would be enforced in
high-risk areas such as red-light districts, bars and hotels.
How will authorities check whether a condom has been used in
such a private transaction as sexual intercourse? "The
prostitutes can file a report," Joseph said.
He said his office assigned a medical team to give medical
checkups to commercial sex workers in the regency's red-light
districts, bars and hotels once a month. If a prostitute has a
sexually transmitted disease, she will be required to stop
working until she receives a clean bill of health.
The bylaw also attempts to protect prostitutes, who are
allowed to refuse to serve clients who refuse to wear a condom.
He said the bylaw would be more effective after his office
completed a three-month program to introduce the ruling to
prostitutes and their customers.
Joseph is hopeful the program will receive support, especially
from commercial sex workers, to help slow the spread of HIV/AIDS
in the regency.
The virus was first detected in Papua 11 years ago, and today
the provincial health office estimates that more than 60,000
people across the province are at risk of being infected with
HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/AIDS virus first appeared in the province in Merauke,
allegedly transmitted to sex workers by Thai fishermen. It has
since spread to the remotest areas of Papua.
To deal with this problem, the government and non-governmental
organizations have undertaken a number of HIV/AIDS prevention
campaigns, including programs to provide care for Papuans living
with HIV/AIDS who have been ostracized by their communities.
Meanwhile, the director of the Indonesian Planned Parenthood
Association in Jayapura, John Rahail, welcomed the Merauke
administration's campaign to introduce the bylaw.
He urged the administration to prepare clear guidelines for
implementing the bylaw to ensure its effectiveness.
"The bylaw is a positive move, showing the administration's
effort to prevent the spread of the virus. But without strong
supporting efforts, the bylaw will mean nothing," John said.
From 1992 to Aug. 2005, the Merauke regency has recorded 772
people living with HIV/AIDS, of which 305 have died. They came
from various backgrounds, including civil servants, students and
housewives. Of the people recorded living with HIV/AIDS, 172 were
commercial sex workers.