A number of businesses across Belfast will be offering the opportunity for the public to avail of free condoms this weekend to mark World Contraception Day.
Belfast shoppers will have the chance to pick up free condoms with their purchases in various stores and bars across the city from September 24 to 26 as part of an initiative led by Northern Ireland’s only dedicated HIV charity, Positive Life.
The charity’s Chief Executive, Jacquie Richardson, says the activity is the first step in its plans for Belfast to become Europe’s next sex-positive city, alongside Berlin, Paris and London.
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Jacquie said: “For the good of everyone in it, a city should embrace positive attitudes towards sex. Some useful barometers for sex positivity are the availability of free protection such as condoms, the willingness of people to embrace regular STI testing, and a culture that values communication, expression and education.
"At present, Belfast is under performing in some of these areas. We have no need to be embarrassed about our sexual health and wellbeing. We should be encouraged and empowered to be in charge of it. At present, there are 1, 234 people living with HIV in Northern Ireland, many of whom are our service users who report feeling discriminated against because of their HIV status.
"Northern Ireland thinks that having a sex-related condition is taboo. Well guess what? People here have sex so we need to talk to about it so we can be responsible."
Some participating businesses providing free condoms this weekend include Banana Block, A Peculiar Tea, Trademarket, Bootlegger’s, Born & Bred, the Simon Community’s Belfast and Lisburn Hostels and various student unions.
Founder of Born & Bred, Linzi Rooney said: “I’m really proud that my business is supporting Positive Life’s initiative. I think some shoppers will be surprised to see condoms at the till, but I see it as an important opportunity to help people enjoy sex responsibly.
"We certainly won’t be looking at who takes them and who doesn’t, but I do hope that anyone who needs them will pop in and take the chance to stock up.”
Free condoms are available from GUM Clinics and Students’ Union offices across Northern Ireland. However, Jacquie believes that people aren’t being adequately educated on how to practice safely.
She continued: “The knowledge deficit when it comes to sex is quite worrying – it indicates that people aren’t being given the tools and resources to learn how to look after themselves, or that it’s not hitting home how important contraception is. Latest data from the Public Health Agency shows new diagnoses of infectious syphilis increased by 15 per cent in 2020, and data pre-pandemic, when testing was its highest, shows that there are still thousands of occurrences of chlamydia and genital warts in a given year.
“Northern Ireland needs a dedicated sexual health strategy and we’re actively campaigning alongside many other organisations for a strategy that includes a standardised and mandatory Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum. As it stands there isn’t a set curriculum, and instead each school develops its own RSE policy.
"Every young person deserves to understand sexual health and wellbeing and the important issues therein like puberty, consent, contraception and testing. If we continue to fail on this, we’ll continue to fail our youth.
"Having the support of businesses this World Contraception Day is a huge step in the right direction. It shows that the potential to transform Belfast’s attitude towards sex and create a more sex positive culture for us all to thrive on.
"I’d encourage anyone not practicing safe sex to grab a couple of condoms from participating businesses over the coming days."
For more information on Positive Life’s work and role in Northern Ireland visit positivelifeni.com
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