Issued by: SA Communication Service
NATIONAL CONDOM WEEK: 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 1997
CUPIDS AND CONDOMS
Sperm ejaculates from the penis at twenty miles per hour. This is a favourite attention-getter used by a committed group of young people from a high school in the United States in their HIV/AIDS Awareness Presentations to follow students during National Condom Week.
Events like this are staged in more countries every year around Valentine's Day, events which aim to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies by increasing the proportion of sexually active people who use condoms correctly and consistently. And this is done by getting people past their fear of talking about condoms and safer sex.
National Condom week is not about promoting sex but about promoting safer sex for those who choose to be sexually active. The best way to prevent infection with HIV or an STD is abstinence, but if a person chooses not to be abstinent, the next best is to use a condom.
Condoms are not just something you use on Valentine's Day. If you are sexually active, make them part of your life and be responsible for carrying ad using them. So, this Valentine's Day along with a card covered with hearts and a bunch of flowers, movie tickets and a bottle of wine, remember, if you are going to have sex, protect yourself and your partner, us a condom.