It was in fact a Dr Condom who prescribed préservatifs in the 17th century to Charles II in order that he could avoid producing illegitimate heirs. Looking particularly gruesome and composed of sheep's bladders, the contraceptive market sighed with relief when Charles Goodyear, in 1839, began the mass production of safer, less expensive rubber condoms.
The history of the 'safer sex' initiative is part of the tourist spiel of a town called Condom, is Gascony, France, meaning that after they've had a chuckle at the name, tourists are reminded to wear protection during any sexual encounters. But what about those of us travelling elsewhere?
Well, with the run-up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, we hope that locals and visitors alike - as they travel around the country to witness their favourite teams in action - will be aware of sexual responsibility. The hospitality industry can assist here, by stocking Intimacy Packs - containing a condom and a sachet of lube - in the complementary toiletries supplied to each guest and discreetly set out for them in their rooms.
On the international website travel.nationalgeographic.com, along with price indications, hotels are rated according to their in-room amenities. One off-the-wall boutique hotel in Dallas, the Za-Za, boasts packets of M&Ms at bedtime, along with a 'Shag Kit' (condoms, etc), whereas at Bangkok's Cabbages and Condoms restaurant, all diners receive a condom with coffee, instead of an after-dinner mint.
According to researcher Birte Twisslemann, in her paper Promotion of condom use in high risk setting (Eurosurveillance, 22 June 2000), in the absence of an effective vaccine for HIV/AIDS, behavioural change is a vital means of preventing infection. She concluded that the provision of condoms in hotel rooms - which meant that couples did not have to ask for them - was found to increase condom use substantially, by up to 8% in the establishments studied.
Bringing us back to the South African setting, in 2007 the Department of Health estimated that 28% of pregnant women were living with HIV, with an 18% prevalence of infection in all 15 to 49-year-olds. This implies that around 5.7 million South Africans were living with HIV at the end of 2007, including 280 000 children under age 15 (www.avert.org.safricastats.htm).
In this light, and with a considerable lack of 'do as I do' guidance from local political leaders, it is hoped that South Africa's hospitality industry will rise to the occasion.
Intimacy Packs, consisting of a small flat cardboard box containing a condom and a sachet of Assegai lube can be ordered from Tatt2 Personal Health. Email az.oc.2ttat@selas.
