What kind of HIV prevention messages would be effective to reach young sexually active people?

I think showing young people the realities & health risks of what can possibly come along with sex can be effective. Raw and authentic visual images with explanations of symptoms are sometimes disturbing, but I believe they hit home. Young people need to be taught what to look for when it comes to HIV & STD’s (i.e.: memorize STD symptoms, recognize unusual behaviors, keep track of sexual activity, etc). There is also a “tool box” that everyone must have when they are sexually active: It consists of the lubricated condoms, water-based lubricants, dental dams, figure cons, flavored condoms, cleaning wipes, and the referral-paper for your next HIV/STD testing appointment. This tool box needs to be offered or given out to youth on a consistent basis—sending them the message to practice preparation.

In my experience, when we’re young, we sometimes tend to only think that our friends and close ones are the only ones that matter to us. Some of us are selfish and only worry about ourselves. But as a population of youth, we need to stop picking and choosing when to and when not to be responsible. We need to be responsible consistently, just as a way of being and grow to love being that way. One of the highest age groups being “infected” with HIV in New York State are the people between the ages of 13- 24 years old. When it comes to sexual activity there are consequences and sex is a mature matter. Sex is not for children. Understand that, and also that HIV everywhere, any age is at risk.

We all have something great and powerful to contribute to this world. When there’s a sense of “unity within community” enforced, young people tend to get the drift and step up to the plate of responsibility. A perfect example of this: The amazing positive attempts of support young people offered in aftermath of September 11th tragedies. Hopefully that same time of urgency can be recognized and applied when it comes to young people being responsibly sexually active. Especially for those youth who have younger youth looking up to them. But what are some creative ways to do that? I believe doing performance art shows/events & interesting short films starring youth (subjecting around HIV awareness) is a visual suggestion that can effectively send home prevention messages. Young people respond well to being entertained and if you can educate them at the same time, it’s effective. Getting relative young people or popular celebrity involvement within HIV prevention messages also works to catch the attention of sexually active youth.

In my experiences, sexually active young people sometimes use sex as a way to get recognition or validation that they’re cool, attractive, mature, accepted or worthy to some extent (from either themselves or others). In saying that, I feel that more empowering & self-esteem building campaigns, should be mixed in with a HIV prevention messages and promoted on today’s youth social networks ( i.e.: You-tube, twitter, Facebook, MTV, BET, etc). Youth need outreach wherever it is they spend their time. Show them that safer sex protection is the coolest thing in the world. If youth realize that their lives and healthy well-being is highly important because each and every young person truly matters, community will uplift as a whole—gearing to a clearer, more promising and sexually protected future.