Durex release condom emoji to encourage safe sex (VIDEO)
The condom brand want more young people to practice safe sex.
Durex has announced the release of a new condom emoji after conducting a study intp young people’s attitude towards safe sex.
Results of the study showed that 80% of 18-25 year olds find it easier to express themselves using emojis – with more than half of respondents regularly using emojis when discussing sex.
The study also found that 84% of 18-25 year olds said they feel more comfortable talking about sex using emojis.
However, more than one third of respondents also claim not to care about safe sex – and nearly half think that HIV will never affect them or their friends.
Durex say they aim to tackle the issue by releasing the new emoji next week.
“Emojis of this sort will enable young people to overcome embarrassment around the discussion of safe sex, encourage conversation and raise awareness of the importance of using condoms in protecting against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV and AIDS,” said Durex marketing director Karen Chisholm.
Last week, HIV charities issued a warning about an “alarming” upswing in HIV diagnoses, after new figures revealed there are now more than 100,000 HIV-positive people in the UK.
Public Health England released its annual UK-wide report on HIV transmission as part of HIV Testing Week, which began yesterday.
The new figures show that an estimated 103,700 people in the UK are now living with HIV, taking the number above 100,000 for the first time.
In addition, transmissions among gay and bisexual men have reached a new record high – with 3,360 men who have sex with men diagnosed as HIV positive in 2014.
In a blog for PinkNews, Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said she is “determined to reverse” the surge in HIV infections among gay and bisexual men, and announced HIV home-testing kits will be nationally available for free for at-risk groups.
Watch a video about the new emoji below.
