One mistake can lead to a lifetime of regret. At a young age, people need to have drilled into them the importance of condoms and safe sex, as well as the importance of not having sex at all until the proper age. Pregnancy, HIV, AIDS, and STDs are all mostly caused from unprotected sex, and it is rare to meet someone who doesn’t know a story of a person who had something happen to them due to a slip they made in the bedroom.
“In 2007, an estimated 2.7 million people became newly infected with HIV. About 45% of them were young people from 15 to 24 years old, with young girls at greater risk of infection than boys,” (Newsom and Haynes 203). In order to bare the expense, condoms should be worn to protect adults, especially those young, against aids and other sexually transmitted diseases.
“The male latex condom is the single, most efficient available technology to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases,” (203). However, there are barriers in which prevent this efficiency. Unfortunate outcomes are being disregarded today. The younger generation claims they wont receive any sexually transmitted diseases, because their significant other, at the time, claims they do not have one. Another fact is condoms. “Young girls are women are regularly and repeatedly denied information about, and access to, condoms,” (203). HIV prevention and education must overcome these obstacles in order to prevent further spread.
“Condoms must be readily available universally, either free or at a low cost, and promoted in ways that overcome social and personal obstacles to their use,” (203). This incorporates colleges, high schools, middle schools, and other institutes involving citizens aging 14-24 at minimal. As previously mentioned, those aging 14-24 have the highest rate of increasing sexually transmitted diseases. Those especially at the ages of 14-19 should have easy access to condoms; not for the promotion of sex, but for the promotion of safe sex if one chooses to partake in those actions.
“Recent analysis of the AIDs epidemic in Uganda has confirmed that increased condom use, in conjunction with delay in age of first sexual intercourse and reduction of sexual partners was an important factor in the decline of HIV prevalence in the 1990s,” (204). However, many parents do not wish to partake in condom purchases for teens. They feel as if they are promoting sexual activity.
For those in foreign countries, awareness is seeming to decrease. “The success of antiretroviral therapy in industrialized countries in reducing illness and prolonging life can alter the perception of risk associated with HIV,” (204). Promotion of the prevention against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases needs to correlate to antiretroviral therapy. “…[It] is essential to reduce further opportunities for HIVtransmission,” (204).
It seems as though the younger generation experiences more problems from partaking in sexual activity than those who have reached the appropriate time to have sex. Fortunately enough, there are schools available for the younger demographic that would drastically decrease the chance of a teen to have sex. An example is New Creations, a Christian boarding school that is set up to match the appeal of a college dormitory. Just like colleges, the girls and boys are separated by dorms. Opposed to colleges and public high schools, students are under 24/7 supervision, which ultimately decreases the chance for a young adult to partake in sexual activity.
Clearly, things need to change and fast. Women and men need to share equality in their decision making with condoms and other forms of protection. Of course, the easiest way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases is to not have sex at all. Realistically speaking, we know that sex is inevitable during young ages, especially if a child is attending a public school.
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