Hiiv

Topic Essay After the discussion held on HIV prevention, what are the arguments for and against scare tactics and abstinence-only campaigns' What is lacking in current prevention efforts and campaigns' Describe other ways we can help prevent the spread of HIV' Scare tactics campaigns for HIV prevention work extremely well in producing a shock and awe effect from the targeted audience. This is because they portray the severity of having HIV through very graphical images and real testimonies from individuals that already have HIV. This form media shock tends to briefly bring up the use of preventive care from the targeted audience. But scare tactics campaigns also tend to be negatively affected by the same factor that propels its success. Gay communities tend to speak out strongly against these campaigns for their way of portraying individuals with HIV as sub-humans and for not promoting ways to live a healthy life if you already have HIV. The gay community says that they work hard towards getting individuals to proactively seek testing and preventive care, but that such scare tactic campaigns only scare potential individuals away from receiving help. Another reason why such campaigns are not successful is because when they reach individuals that already fearful of HIV they “engage in a range of coping strategies including: avoidance, denial and counter-arguing” (Menadue, 2011). Abstinence-only campaigns are great because they inform the targeted audience about the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. These types of campaigns tend to have one powerful overlying message that leaves no room for confusion such as campaigns that speak out towards STDS and pregnancy but indirectly promote sex. Abstinence-only campaigns also tend to promote ethical and moral decision making that not only helps the target audience prevent catching STDS but also from being involved in drugs and other similar troubling issues. But such campaigns have large drawbacks due to their naïve way in approaching real-life scenarios that the targeted audience faces in their day to day lives. The reality is that our society is influenced by a lot of sexual media and it has a strong effect on society’s perception of sex and being sexually active. Abstinence only campaigns do not inform their audience about potential alternative methods in preventive care such as condoms, birth control, and other preventive care methods. By not informing the audience about these methods, most individuals are turned off by an abstinence only message. What is currently lacking in prevention efforts and campaigns is a more creative method in delivering the message. One example is the difference between campaigns against STD in Europe as opposed to here in the USA. In Europe you can find creative advertisements that effectively illustrate the danger of STD through using pictures of beautiful models wearing underwear with small words of STDs on them. This is very effective because it shows that we are attracted by external beauty that overshadows the dangers that can be hidden within. Also something that is lacking in the prevention efforts here in the USA is the minimal support that celebrities and people in the spotlight give to this issue. Having their presence behind this issue can have a positive effect in reaching out to the teens in this country. Other ways that we can help prevent the spread of HIV is by campaigning for the government to increase funding for programs that are in the forefront of this issue. By having more government funds available, more individuals with STDs can get direct or indirect help. Another way is by reaching out to the general celebrity community for their support. If teens see their favorite movie, music and sport idols speak out about the dangers of STDs, then they will be more keen listen to the powerful message. Works Cited Menadue, D. (2011, June 25). Scare Tactics. Retrieved December 15, 2011, from Napwa: http://napwa.org.au/pl/2011/03/scare-tactics