| According to the Joint United Nations Program | | | | fact that young people start to be sexually |
| on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) nearly 1.8 million | | | | active between 15 and 19 without sex |
| people who reside in Latin America are | | | | education contributes to the spreading of the |
| infected with HIV, in large part due to the | | | | virus, as well as the fact that the evidence |
| ever-increasing population. Of these cases, | | | | shows abstinence is not working.� |
| more than a third can be found in Brazil, | | | | |
| with Argentina and Colombia following close | | | | Reports indicated that 35% of those infected |
| behind in the thriving epidemic. Unsafe sex | | | | with AIDS can be attributed to sex between |
| practices between males are the largest | | | | two men. The Catholic response to this is a |
| culprit, but coupled with unsafe sex in male | | | | call for monogamous heterosexuality. Catholic |
| female relationships and drug abuse, the | | | | supporters feel that if Catholics followed |
| situation is dire. | | | | the Church�s teachings, including |
| | | | abstaining from sex before marriage and |
| UN officials strongly believe that the | | | | remaining loyal to one�s husband/wife, |
| epidemic has been fueled in part by the | | | | AIDS would not be as rampant as it has |
| Catholic Church�s prevalent and rigid | | | | become. |
| ban on condoms. Alberto Stella, the UNAIDS | | | | |
| coordinator for several Latin American | | | | The fact of the matter is that in 2004, there |
| countries, including Costa Rica and Honduras, | | | | were 320,000 new cases of HIV reported. Only |
| issued the following statement: �In | | | | two years later, that number had risen to |
| Latin America, the use of condoms has been | | | | 410,000 cases, as reported by UNAIDS. The |
| demonized, but if they were used in every | | | | percentage of those infected between the ages |
| relation I guarantee the epidemic would be | | | | of 15 to 24 years has been reported to be |
| resolved in the region.� Consider the | | | | about 0.5%. In response to these growing |
| fact that in today�s world, 1.1 billion | | | | cases, Brazil�s health ministry has gone |
| people (about 1 in 6 people) label themselves | | | | to great lengths to promote safe sex in their |
| Catholic. Of these Catholics, half reside in | | | | region by handing out millions of free |
| Latin America. Despite the departure from the | | | | condoms (especially during its Carnival |
| church of many of these Catholics to the | | | | festival in February), advertising on the |
| Protestant movement taking hold in Latin | | | | radio about the benefits of safe sex and |
| America, the Catholic Church is still an | | | | planning for the installation of condom |
| impacting force in Latin American society. | | | | machines in schools throughout the area. |
| | | | |
| The Catholic Church has a firm stance on | | | | For more information visit: Catholic Church |
| abstinence before marriage and feels that | | | | Condom Ban in Latin America |
| this chastity along with fidelity between man | | | | |
| and wife are true protectors against the | | | | is a leading online retailer of condoms, |
| plight of AIDS. They feel that educating the | | | | selling name brand condoms like Durex Maximum |
| youth about the values of marriage and family | | | | Love condoms, Trojan, Lifestyles and Crown |
| will solve the root of the problem and that | | | | condoms for the best prices online. Buy the |
| handing out condoms to teenagers is akin to | | | | Best Condoms Online with Condom Man. Learn |
| promoting sex before marriage and | | | | how to put on a condom, how to choose the |
| promiscuity. Stella responds with �The | | | | right condom for you, and more. |