THE CONDOM QUANDARY

Illegal Rental Unit, 1,000 Condoms Scattered On the Floor.” 83 These reports associate
condoms with sex work and portray them as evidence of prostitution. In an environment in
which sex work is illegal and considered dirty and harmful to public morals, condoms are
likewise given these labels. 84 Even now, such reports are far from rare, and they continue to
reinforce stigmatizing attitudes towards condoms that undermine public health services of
government health organizations and CBOs.
In fact, as early as 1998, health departments were aware that the appearance of condoms
in media reports on vice raids had a highly adverse effect on HIV prevention work. That
year the Ministry of Health joined with eight other ministries and commissions to issue the
“Publicity Principles for AIDS and STD Prevention,” which required “spreading publicity
on the use of condoms to prevent HIV/AIDS and STDs” while at the same time “avoiding
reports that treat condoms as evidence of prostitution.” 85 The “China Mid- and Long-term
Plan for Controlling AIDS (1998-2010)” also emphasized that national and local newspapers,
radio stations and television stations should carry out publicity and education on AIDS to
construct a social environment empowered to prevent the spread of HIV. 86
Conflicting policy, Confusing messages
The government has been actively implementing its HIV strategy among sex workers,
however, the crackdowns on the sex industry have continued and have been actively
reaffirmed in some major HIV prevention documents. For example, the 2004 and 2010 State
Council notices to strengthen the HIV response, and the 2011-2015 National AIDS Action
Plan, 87 all have the stated objective of preventing HIV, but nevertheless require “public
security departments to continue, as before, to crack down on prostitution and solicitation,
the assembling of crowds for licentious activity and other unlawful and criminal behavior.” 88
This policy conflict has led to substantial difficulties in implementing policies and programs
promoting condom use. Resolving these policy conflicts is essential to an effective HIV
response in China.
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