Posted by anovagrrl on August 26, 2003 at 06:45:33
In Reply to: Re: on aids transmission: risk reduction posted by Alan on August 25, 2003 at 18:38:09:
The last time I looked at research on HIV/AIDS transmission in Africa, married women and newborns were cited as the highest risk group for newly diagnosed cases of HIV. These are presumably monogamous women who acquire and transmit the virus to their offspring through contact with their infected husbands.
Another major high risk group in Africa are virgin girls. It is believed by many (males) that they can be cured of HIV through unprotected sex with a virgin. Rape is epidemic in many African states.
It appears to me that the people most in need of abstinence and monogamy are males. From what I know of the Ugandan program, they have taken a public health stance by aggressively distributing condoms and educating women about the risks of unprotected sex. Where Uganda's reduction of the AIDS/HIV infection rate are concerned, I think you would be hard pressed to come up with any research that shows abstinence and monogamy accounting for as large a proportion of the variance as condom distribution and education.
I have taught abstinence programs to high school students, by the way. I think it is a fine thing for individuals who are disposed to that level of self-discipline and restraint. However, not everyone values chastity. Our commercial culture and secular society do not endorse or support chastity. You may choose to tilt at the windmills of unacceptable moral positions, but I have chosen to deal with the world as it is. The truth is, there are a lot of people in this world who are not in the least bit interested in abstinence and monogamy. If such people start using condoms, that is a signficiant improvement in self control and personal responsibility.