XN000022-1992-05-05 — Page 7

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SAFE SEX PREVENTS AIDS

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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1992

THE PRACTICE OF SAFE SEX, INCLUDING THE USE OF CONDOMS, 19 STILL THE BEST PREVENTION AGAINST AIDS.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ON AIDS WISHES TO PROMOTE THROUGH AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST (API) TO BE SHOWN IN CINEMAS AND ON TELEVISION SOON.

SPEAKING TODAY (TUESDAY) AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ΤΟ LAUNCH THE API, A COMMITTEE MEMBER AND CONVENOR OF ITS PUBLICITY WORKING GROUP, MS CARLYE TSUI, SAID: "CONDOMS CAN PROVIDE THE USERS WITH REASSURANCE AND PROTECTION AGAINST AIDS AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES WITHOUT DETRACTING FROM THE SEXUAL EXPERIENCE.

"THE TREATMENT OF THIS API IS VERY EXPLICIT AS WE HAVE INTENTION OF AVOIDING THE ISSUE OF SEX WHILE EMPHASISING IMPORTANCE OF SAFE SEX AND THE NEED OF USING CONDOMS.

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"WE DO NOT WANT TO MAKE MORAL JUDGEMENTS AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN OUR INTENTION TO ENCOURAGE SEXUAL PROMISCUITY AS THESE ARE SIMPLY NOT. THE PURPOSE OF OUR API MESSAGES, SHE STRESSED.

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"THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE AIDS PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IS TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDE THE PUBLIC HAD ON AIDS, CLARIFY MISCONCEPTIONS AND CORRECT THE DANGEROUS LIFESTYLE SOME PEOPLE HAVE, SHE EXPLAINED.

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MS TSUI SAID THE COMMITTEE HOPED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD FORM THEIR OWN HEALTHY CONCEPT ABOUT SEX ON THE BASIS OF CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF AIDS.

THE API ON THE USE OF CONDOMS IS PART OF THE COMMITTEE'S PUBLICITY STRATEGY THIS YEAR.

IT SHOWS A CONDOM REMOVED FROM A PACKAGE AND A WOMAN TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE HER PARTNER TO USE THE CONDOM.

MS TSUI, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, THANKED THE OPERATORS OF 14 CINEMAS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE CAMPAIGN BY SHOWING THE 30-SECOND API FREE OF CHARGE LATER THIS WEEK.

ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEMBER, DR LEE SHIU-SHAN, SAID PREVENTION REMAINED THE MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGY AS THERE WAS AT PRESENT NO CURE FOR AIDS.

"IN THE PAST YEAR, ALL THE NEWLY DIAGNOSED INFECTION IN HONG KONG WERE CONTRACTED THROUGH SEX. HALF WERE HOMOSEXUALS AND THE INFECTION ARE OTHERS HETEROSEXUALS. WORLDWIDE, THREE-QUARTERS OF THE SEXUALLY ACQUIRED, " HE SAID.

DR LEE EMPHASISED THAT PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE SEX PARTNERS, OF THE SAME OR OPPOSITE SEX, WERE AT HIGHER RISK.

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