THT campaign alerts gay men to HIV
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust is launching a new campaign today to raise gay men’s awareness of their proximity to HIV.
The number of gay men living with HIV has doubled in the last ten years and the campaign aims to make men think about how close they are to HIV.
Nationally, 1 in 25 gay men have HIV and in London this is at least one in ten. The campaign illustrates this with images of men’s penises and the line “If you’ve had sex with this many men, chances are one has HIV. HIV is closer than you think”.
As well as the adverts there will be a website, condom packs and a new edition of Exposed magazine. The campaign will also be launched alongside a new report from Sigma Research that explores the HIV risks being taken by gay men who do not correctly perceive their proximity to HIV.
Will Nutland, Head of Health Promotion at Terrence Higgins Trust said “Prevalence of HIV amongst gay men has doubled in the last ten years, but despite this only half of gay men say they know someone with HIV.
“Research shows us that men are taking risks because they don’t think that there are people with HIV in their social and sexual circles. This new campaign seeks to raise men’s awareness that there are more gay men living with HIV than ever before. HIV is closer than many men think.”
