When It’s On It’s On – a new campaign by Durex reveals what young people really think about STI’s, practicing safe sex and unplanned pregnancy. Results show that there is an ‘invincibility culture’ that exists with a staggering 48 per cent of 18-24’s quizzed in the study believing that contracting HIV/Aids was not ‘something that could happen in their friendship group’. An international HIV and Aids charity revealed that at the end of 2012 there were over 27 thousand diagnoses of AIDS in the UK and over 21,000 people living with HIV died the same year.
Despite how high the numbers of people diagnosed in 2012 were, only 14% of those surveyed by Durex said that STI’s were their main concern. Young adults are choosing to be ignorant about something that has real potential to affect them. New figures from the Durex study have set in stone how much more needs to be done to stress the importance of safe sex. For every four young people surveyed, three admitted they have some level of embarrassment talking about sex. Clearly, there’s a bigger issue if young girls feel that ‘when a guy’s in the mood and wants to do something (if you insist on a condom)… you feel like you’re winding them up and the mood is killed’.
What actually needs to be addressed is practical advice on how to feel more confident when it comes to making decisions whilst having sex, so that less people feel like they can’t suggest a condom because they’re scared of upsetting or angering the other person. Also, if more young people knew how many people are diagnosed with HIV and AIDs each year, then maybe pissing off the other person and killing the mood wouldn’t be their top priority and protection would be more of a concern.
The campaign is using this opportunity to turn the entire bad stigma around condoms being mood killers in to something good for both girls and boys. The new film busts myths by revealing that 79% of the young men asked said ‘it’s a turn on when a girl insists on a condom’. Andre, from Romania said, ‘If she’s well prepared, there’s more trust and where there’s more trust, there’s better sex.’
Sofia, from Sweden, said, ‘If a guy was to turn around and be like, “No, not going to use a condom,” I would be like, “OK see ya!”’
Durex is launching an online hub of articles and videos to provide young people with practical and honest advice about sex, STI’s, how to have more confidence and unwanted pregnancies. With a platform to read up on ‘how to’, and an insight in to how other people deal wih sex issues will hopefully mean that lack of confidence will decrease as a reason to not use a condom.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.