Lifestyle: Condom Sense

Seth said he likes to roll the dice. "I always use at least two forms of birth control -- rhythm and withdrawal," he said. What he doesn't use is contraception. "If a girl had AIDS, I wouldn't sleep with her," he added. "What do you think I am, stupid?" Seth is one of millions of Americans, according to a recent government-funded survey, who participate in unprotected sex because he does not think he is at risk of contracting AIDS. The study, published in last week's edition of Science, stated that only 17 percent of heterosexuals with multiple sex partners and 13 percent of those with "risky" sex partners use condoms. The survey was the largest of its type in more than 40 years and found that 31 percent of heterosexuals have exposed themselves to the AIDS virus over the past five years. Kate Webster, a nurse practitioner and sexual health educator at the University's Student Health Services, said the findings did not come as a surprise. "It confirmed much of what we know," she said. · Webster said that students should not be deceived by the University's secluded community, but should be wary of contracting the fatal disease. "I think that Penn students are just as safe or unsafe as the rest of the universe or any other college campus," she said. "All the diseases that are outside of the walls of the University are also inside the walls." "People will say, 'I'm not in this group' or 'I don't do this' -- and lull themselves into a false sense of security," she said. Webster added that there are probably some students who have contracted HIV -- the virus which causes AIDS -- or other sexually-transmitted diseases and do not realize it. Many students said last week that the fear of AIDS and other STDs has prompted them to practice safe sex. "I always use Trojan ribbed condoms because I believe in safe sex, even though the sex doesn't feel as good," College sophomore Dan Schwab said. But Webster said some students continue to have unprotected sex although they know how HIV is transmitted. "I don't think that people lack knowledge," she said. "There's a gap between people's knowledge and their behavior. Part of it is people's developmental processes and another part is the influence of alcohol on their decision processes." Webster also attributed unprotected sex to poor student self-esteem. "If you don't feel good about yourself, you're probably not going to protect yourself," she said. College junior Jason Bassett said he uses condoms during sex and agrees with Webster that the decision should be well thought out. "I honestly think it's irresponsible to leave the issue of contraception up to one person or the other," he said. "Also, it shouldn't be discussed at the last minute so you can make a responsible decision." · Ben Wood, an AIDS Library of Philadelphia employee, said safe sex precautions are universal guidelines that should be used by all people, regarless of gender or sexual orientation. "The rules, regulations and equipment for homosexuals are the same as for heterosexual people," Wood said. "The devices are condoms, spermicides and dental and oral dams." Louise Postal, a University graduate who developed and marketed a "Safer Sex Kit," said she has noticed that heterosexuals too often consider AIDS to be a "homosexual disease" and are not careful. "Safe sex practices have been used in the past by the homosexual community," Postal said. "This is not to say that homosexuals are completely safe, because they still have a long way to go." Postal said homosexuals are more responsible about practicing safe sex than heterosexuals. College senior Patrick McClue always advocates condom use during sex. "You should always assume everyone's HIV positve and you should always use a condom during intercourse," McClue said. "Using condoms during sex is not 100 percent safe, but its safer than not using one." Like Webster, College senior Jennifer Trupkin, co-chairperson of Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, said she believes ignorance is not always the cause of unprotected sex. "It's difficult to transmit education into behavior," she said. Trupkin added that students still engage in unsafe sex because they do not realize that AIDS can affect their lives just as much as it does the lives of others. "A lot of people have the idea 'It can't happen to me' and that Ivy League students are smart, clean and okay," she said. "They still have the misconception that AIDS and HIV are in populations that don't include them." But some students said that they believe the term "safe sex" is an oxymoron and noted that abstinence is the only safe practice. "I don't believe there is any such thing as completely safe sex," College sophomore Nicole Liberati said. "Any time you have sex, you're taking a risk." Trupkin added that students should not be afraid to talk about safe sex, although she said society has socialized them not to. "I think that a person has to have enough self-confidence to say, 'My life is more important than my behavior at this point in time,' and they should say to their partner, 'I think we should use safer sex methods.' " · There are positive signs that University students are beginning to practice safe sex. Two of Penn Student Agency's commissaries in campus dorms reported brisk condom sales this year. "Compared to last year, we're selling more," College junior Scott Romeika, Quadrangle Commissary manager, said. "Probably twice as much." Wharton junior Chris Gobalakrishna, High Rise East Commissary manager, said the condoms sell best on weekends. "They sell pretty well," he said. "The biggest time we sell them are on Friday and Saturday nights. We usually sell more on weekends when we win football games, for some strange reason." Gobalakrishna also said he noticed that women and couples are buying as many condoms as men. Webster said that Student Health sells contraceptives at low prices. She added that it offers free, confidential tests for STDs, free safe sex counseling and free literature about STDs and HIV testing to all students. Webster said the AIDS test costs $70 for the first screening, and is confidential, but not anonymous. And, Student Health can refer students to anonymous testing locations thoughout the city. Webster emphasized that safe sex education is a continual process, not something that only occurs at workshops and designated awareness days. "True awareness has to be incorporated on a personal level," she said.