Nineteen gay venues in Beijing have launched a joint education campaign to help curb the spread of HIV/AIDS among their clients.The venues, mostly bars, will distribute free condoms, display AIDS awareness posters and even promote the safe sex message in dance performances.
Gay men are considered a high-risk group for HIV infection in China, along with intravenous drug users and sex workers, according to the World Health Organization.
Chaoyang Chinese Aids Volunteer Group has been leading a long campaign to promote safe sex among gay men, with mixed results.
"When our volunteers promoted the concept of safe sex in entertainment places, people always showed antipathy to us," Xiao Dong, chief executive of Chaoyang Chinese Aids Volunteer Group, said.
"The managers disliked us because it affected business. But now we have persuaded the owners to join in this campaign and make a united front."
According to the memorandum of understanding, bar owners are responsible for promoting safe sex among their gay clientele in their venues. They have joined the fight against AIDS with medical scientists, volunteers and government officials.
Condom vending machines will be installed in many venues, and trained staff will be offered a financial bonus for promoting the safe sex message.
Statistics from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that the number of gay men living with HIV/AIDS has increased to 47,000, double the figure in 2004. (keep reading:ChinaDaily)
1 comment:
Thanks for posting some news on China.
I'm from Beijing and though I've been living abroad before I ever stepped toes into the local gay scene I know a thing or two from reading the Chinese sites.
More gay bars, gay hookup places these days now in Beijing, I was surprised to learn there are even gay saunas now over there (wonder how they're dealing with the local governments and police).
Talking about safe sex openly is good, not only in the educational sense. Things can't keep on going in the dark anymore. I reckon if they didn't start doing something about it China would end up worse than Africa.
And just what's happening with the AIDS research in the world? Are the scientists still trying? I've read "conspiracy" about the Yankees inventing and spreading HIV virus as a biological weapon but surely that's not true!? Is there ever gonna be a cure for AIDS and vaccine for HIV???
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