In South Africa, home to the world’s largest HIV population, condoms are proving to be more than just something to keep your wallet company.
A recent survey, done by the Human Sciences Research Council, has shown that the HIV epidemic has stabilized at 10.9 percent of the population in the region. The survey also shows promising signs of a declining number of children and teenagers with HIV.
The HSRC is South Africa’s statutory research agency. Its motto, ‘social science that makes a difference,’ can be attributed to better sexual education.
The percentage of people ages 15 to 49 who are aware of their HIV status as well as people who reported using a condom during their last sexual encounter, have increased. As the U.S. starts to cut funding from abstinence-only programs and move to more comprehensive sexual education, information like this is becoming more important.
Unlike people in South Africa, Americans don’t treat sexual education as a matter of life or death. This is why, no matter what is done or where the money is put in this country, the issue of sex education is never going to change.
We have let this important concern become just another bipartisan issue. With all of the arguments for and against a comprehensive sexual education program rooted in hypothetical worlds, neither view of the discussion has any idea what to do if asked to apply the partisan ideas to real-world scenarios.
One side of the argument, says people are apparently having sex in the street without a concern for the future or for their partners.
On the other side, people would have no idea about condoms, their use, or even how to buy them unless they received education in school.
People might feel better if they knew, in the future, that the public could be tested on whether it should use an oil-based lubricant with a condom.
And it might make others feel more at ease to know that the only thing their children will ever know about sex is if they don’t have it, nothing will fall off or out of them.
Until this issue is changed from a political matter to a serious health concern, sex-ed will remain be the wy place where adults can show dirty pictures to minors and not have to worry about becoming a registered sex offender.
Travis Hensley is a philosophy senior and may be reached at [email protected]
