As World Aids Day 2008 draws to a close, the Caribbean’s future with the deadly disease looks none too promising.
According to the UN’s 2008 report on the global AIDS epidemic, the Caribbean, with 1.1% of the adult population infected, has a higher prevalence of AIDS that any other area of the world except sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2007, stated the UN report, around 20,000 became infected with HIV in the Caribbean, with 14,000 reported AIDS deaths and an estimated 230,000 living with HIV and AIDS.
Trinidad & Tobago’s rate stands at 1.5%, which is the fourth highest in the region after Jamaica at 1.6%, Haiti at 2.2%, and the Bahamas at 3%.
Trinidad: Sex-Ed? What Sex-Ed?
One of the main factors in Trinidad’s high rate is its lack of sexual education.
During my personal experience growing up in Trinidad, I can recall exactly two “sex-education” sessions.
One was in Form 1, when they separated boy and girls into two rooms and talked about periods and (I assume) erections and nocturnal ejaculations to the respective sexes.
I went home with a pack of free sanitary napkins, and no clue about sexual intercourse.
The other was in Form 6, though younger forms were invited – only girls were called to the main Hall over the PA system – where they once more talked about periods and menstrual health.
I went home with a pack of free sanitary napkins, one individually-wrapped tampon, and even less clue about sexual intercourse – though at this point I was 16 years old, which was significantly older than the average rate for being sexually active.
Statistics of sexually-active youth in T&T
A study by the Family Planning Association of Trinidad & Tobago [FPATT] in partnership with Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC), quoted in the Trinidad Guardian, indicates that:
· The average age of first sexual intercourse is 14
· 25% of youth have had sex before the age of 12
· 6½% had their first sexual experience by the age of 10
· 75% had sexual intercourse by the age of 16
…And, I reiterate, the only reference to sex that day at my “sex-ed” session when they handed out sanitary supplies was when they told us: “If you are a virgin – which, of course, I know or would hope you all are – then you should not use the tampons with maximum absorbency.”
‘Young People First’ Programme confronts anal & lesbian sex
Thankfully, things seem to be moving forward from that point.
Leading up to World AIDS Day 2008, the South West Regional Health Authority in Trinidad & Tobago sponsored a programme called “Young People First” designed to make young people aware of the dangers of the disease.
As the Trinidad Express reports, the current trend is sexual experimentation from children just entering high school, particularly with anal sex and lesbian sex.
“Young people… believe that by having [anal and lesbian] sex… they would be able to maintain their virginity, not realizing that [it] increases the risk of HIV significantly,” said Oscar Ochoa, director of the Government’s Population Programme at a HIV/AIDS seminar held at Naparima Bowl, San Fernando in South Trinidad last Friday.
“Many claim that by having sex with a female partner they will not contract the AIDS virus neither will they become pregnant,” Ochoa continued, but as he pointed out, sex toys could become the vehicle for contracting the virus.
The social stigma of condoms
The problem is that young people just don’t see themselves vulnerable to the disease.
Wearing condoms is still highly stigmatized throughout the Caribbean.
A CAREC study, discussed by Inter Press Service [IPS], revealed that though 8 out of 10 respondents aged 15-24 in T&T knew that condom use protects against HIV, less than half of the males and approximately half of the young women reported consistent condom use with casual partners.
Religious organisation oppose ‘anti-abstinence’ condom-vending machines to be introduced in T&T
IPS reported in August 2007 that the Trinidad & Tobago government is looking to purchase condom vending machines as an initiative to deal with the HIV/AIDS virus.
However one of the main problems faced by this new initiative is the opposition from several prominent religious organisations.
The respective leaders of the Muslim organisation Anjuman Sunnat-Ul Jamaat Association [ASJA], the main Hindu organisation Sanatan Charma Maha Sabha [SDMS], the Inter-Religious Organisation [IRO], and the Roman Catholic church all indicated that they would not be supporting this venture because it sent conflicting messages to young people who are otherwise encouraged that sex should only take place during marriage.
It remains to be seen whether things will change in the twin isle by the next World Aids Day, but one can only hope that the popular 90s abstinence song chant in Trinidad of “The only safe sex is marital sex… tell us anything else we’ll get vex, vex, vex” will not be the same message our children receive.
SEX, SEX & MORE SEX — TNT & WORLD AIDS DAY 2008
December 1, 2008As World Aids Day 2008 draws to a close, the Caribbean’s future with the deadly disease looks none too promising.
According to the UN’s 2008 report on the global AIDS epidemic, the Caribbean, with 1.1% of the adult population infected, has a higher prevalence of AIDS that any other area of the world except sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2007, stated the UN report, around 20,000 became infected with HIV in the Caribbean, with 14,000 reported AIDS deaths and an estimated 230,000 living with HIV and AIDS.
Trinidad & Tobago’s rate stands at 1.5%, which is the fourth highest in the region after Jamaica at 1.6%, Haiti at 2.2%, and the Bahamas at 3%.
Trinidad: Sex-Ed? What Sex-Ed?
One of the main factors in Trinidad’s high rate is its lack of sexual education.
During my personal experience growing up in Trinidad, I can recall exactly two “sex-education” sessions.
One was in Form 1, when they separated boy and girls into two rooms and talked about periods and (I assume) erections and nocturnal ejaculations to the respective sexes.
I went home with a pack of free sanitary napkins, and no clue about sexual intercourse.
The other was in Form 6, though younger forms were invited – only girls were called to the main Hall over the PA system – where they once more talked about periods and menstrual health.
I went home with a pack of free sanitary napkins, one individually-wrapped tampon, and even less clue about sexual intercourse – though at this point I was 16 years old, which was significantly older than the average rate for being sexually active.
Statistics of sexually-active youth in T&T
A study by the Family Planning Association of Trinidad & Tobago [FPATT] in partnership with Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC), quoted in the Trinidad Guardian, indicates that:
· The average age of first sexual intercourse is 14
· 25% of youth have had sex before the age of 12
· 6½% had their first sexual experience by the age of 10
· 75% had sexual intercourse by the age of 16
…And, I reiterate, the only reference to sex that day at my “sex-ed” session when they handed out sanitary supplies was when they told us: “If you are a virgin – which, of course, I know or would hope you all are – then you should not use the tampons with maximum absorbency.”
‘Young People First’ Programme confronts anal & lesbian sex
Thankfully, things seem to be moving forward from that point.
Leading up to World AIDS Day 2008, the South West Regional Health Authority in Trinidad & Tobago sponsored a programme called “Young People First” designed to make young people aware of the dangers of the disease.
As the Trinidad Express reports, the current trend is sexual experimentation from children just entering high school, particularly with anal sex and lesbian sex.
“Young people… believe that by having [anal and lesbian] sex… they would be able to maintain their virginity, not realizing that [it] increases the risk of HIV significantly,” said Oscar Ochoa, director of the Government’s Population Programme at a HIV/AIDS seminar held at Naparima Bowl, San Fernando in South Trinidad last Friday.
“Many claim that by having sex with a female partner they will not contract the AIDS virus neither will they become pregnant,” Ochoa continued, but as he pointed out, sex toys could become the vehicle for contracting the virus.
The social stigma of condoms
The problem is that young people just don’t see themselves vulnerable to the disease.
Wearing condoms is still highly stigmatized throughout the Caribbean.
A CAREC study, discussed by Inter Press Service [IPS], revealed that though 8 out of 10 respondents aged 15-24 in T&T knew that condom use protects against HIV, less than half of the males and approximately half of the young women reported consistent condom use with casual partners.
Religious organisation oppose ‘anti-abstinence’ condom-vending machines to be introduced in T&T
IPS reported in August 2007 that the Trinidad & Tobago government is looking to purchase condom vending machines as an initiative to deal with the HIV/AIDS virus.
However one of the main problems faced by this new initiative is the opposition from several prominent religious organisations.
The respective leaders of the Muslim organisation Anjuman Sunnat-Ul Jamaat Association [ASJA], the main Hindu organisation Sanatan Charma Maha Sabha [SDMS], the Inter-Religious Organisation [IRO], and the Roman Catholic church all indicated that they would not be supporting this venture because it sent conflicting messages to young people who are otherwise encouraged that sex should only take place during marriage.
It remains to be seen whether things will change in the twin isle by the next World Aids Day, but one can only hope that the popular 90s abstinence song chant in Trinidad of “The only safe sex is marital sex… tell us anything else we’ll get vex, vex, vex” will not be the same message our children receive.
Posted in Commentary, Health | Tagged abstinence from sex, anal sex in Trinidad, Caribbean, Caribbean Epidemiology Centre, condom vending machines, Family Planning Association of Trinidad & Tobago, Government’s Population Programme, lesbian sex in Trinidad, Oscar Ochoa, sex-ed, Trinidad & Tobago, World Aids Day, Young People First | 1 Comment »