The
Norwegian Red Cross youth has been handing out thousands of
colourful condoms with catchy messages to make youth take a
"timeout" before having sex. The campaign seems to work.
" I guess I can get HIV." "I guess I am afraid
of alien bacteria." These are two of the many messages
thousands of youths have received on colourful condom packages
in Norway during the last year and a half. Only this present
year, hundreds of thousands of condoms have been distributed
wherever young people might be: schools, youth clubs, streets,
cafés, discos and sport arrangements. The Red Cross youth
asks the youngsters for a "timeout" in order to take an active
choice and protect themselves before having sex.
Less embarrassing
Inside the packages, it says that some might think it is embarrassing
to use a condom, and that they can use the "excuse"
on the package for using them.
"We try to tell the youngsters in Norway that it is not
embarrassing to use condoms. The messages make people talk,
and the humoristic twitch makes it less embarrassing to carry
condoms in the purse," Anja Lyngsmark says. She is the
communication officer in the Norwegian Red Cross youth. "Many
tell us that they think these condoms are fun!"
In addition to the catchy condoms, The Norwegian Red Cross youth
has also distributed postcards showing a present with the message
"You never know what you gonna get". The aim is to
make people realize that HIV is something we all are in danger
of getting.
Increasing HIV-numbers
The timeout campaign is really needed. Norwegian youth protect
themselves the least in the world before jumping to bed, which
gives sad statistics. Last year, some 20,000 Norwegians got
chlamydia, and the HIV numbers are increasing. Despite the fact
that we are among the most educated people in the world, we
do not seem to understand the danger of having unprotected sex.
Popular condoms
But catchy and colourful condoms seem to be working. One of
the instructors in Red Cross youth, Kari Voss Sørhus,
says that the condoms with the timeout packages are of the most
popular condoms in the Norwegian city Trondheim, where she is
a volunteer.
"Both girls and boys really like the timeout condoms,
and many of them say that they are so cool that I just HAVE
to have them. They also tell us that they want to take some
extras just to give to their friends… For instance, the
green package with the message "I guess I am in love"
and the black one with "I guess I do not want to become
a dad" are very popular."
Kari Voss Sørhus also adds that the messages are great
reminders of why it is important to use condoms.
Condom bicycles in Trondheim
The target group for the timeout condoms is naturally young
people aged 16—30, and many of them are students. Last fall,
one of the Universities in Trondheim put the timeout condoms
in the surprise bags for freshmen.
"This shows us that making condoms colourful and catchy
really works," Voss Sørhus believes. "It is
necessary to be creative to make more people wanting to use
condoms."
Last summer, the Red Cross youth in Trondheim launched two red
condom bicycles with baskets to distribute even more colourful
condoms for the youth in the city.
The Red Cross youth in Norway hand out condoms in schools
on a regular basis where they have per to per education about
sexual transferred infections and HIV. In addition to giving
out condoms, they have condom demonstrations and discussions
and activities about sexual behaviour and stigma.
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Norwegian
Red Cross youth distributes cool, "must have"
condoms at popular venues, and works with peer education
and advocacy to prevent HIV spreading in Norway.
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