These individuals hold a very mistaken belief that lubricants can prevent HIV, and that only women can contract syphilis or HPV. Some even believe that swallowing semen from young men under 20 years old is very beneficial for health.
MSM (short for Men who have sex with men) is the term used to refer to the male homosexual community today. Due to a lack of knowledge, the MSM community has engaged in unsafe sexual behaviors (unprotected intercourse) that put themselves and their partners at risk, such as anal sex without condoms or infrequently using condoms, not using condoms during oral sex, and ejaculating into the mouth and swallowing semen…
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Sexual safety awareness among gay men at the third HIV/AIDS conference held in Ho Chi Minh City |
Research by Dr. Khuất Thu Hồng from the Institute of Social Research on male homosexual relations shows that the majority of MSM have very misconceptions or inadequate knowledge about the dangers of unsafe sexual practices. They believe that lubricants can prevent HIV during anal intercourse, or that swallowing semen from young men under 20 is good for health. Some MSM are even convinced that diseases like syphilis and HPV are “exclusive” to women. They believe they can only contract HIV through drug injections or sex with women, and that male-to-male relations are completely safe.
Through her research, Dr. Hồng found that very few MSM are aware of their risk of infection but do not take protective measures because they fear violence from their partners. If they use condoms, it is only with new acquaintances; once they become more familiar, they tend to trust and… stop taking precautions.
Dr. Hồng argues that until now, we have only focused on two groups at the highest risk of HIV infection: drug users and sex workers. There has been little attention given to the risk of HIV infection within the MSM community. Meanwhile, the likelihood of HIV transmission in this community is very high because MSM often date multiple partners, have a high sexual drive, and engage in frequent intercourse, leading to many sexual partners. “I have over 100 partners, both Vietnamese and foreigners. Whenever I meet a new person, we introduce each other. Therefore, each of us has a considerable number of partners. HIV infection? I think only those who have sex with women get infected; men who have sex with men do not face that issue,” a 25-year-old MSM from Hanoi revealed.
The majority of MSM are unaware that anal sex is very vulnerable to injury, leading to bleeding, and that HIV or other sexually transmitted infections can be transmitted through these injuries. An MSM with many partners can quickly spread HIV to all of them if just one person is infected. Currently, it is estimated that there are about 100,000 MSM nationwide, and Dr. Hồng explains that this is why the risk of HIV transmission among the MSM community is very high.
Despite the risks, MSM are often reluctant to use public sexual health services due to societal stigma. When they contract sexually transmitted infections, they often self-medicate. They also rarely utilize voluntary testing services, and many healthcare workers are not well-informed about the sexual health issues facing MSM, Dr. Hồng added.
The research also indicates a connection between migration and homosexual relations. Many individuals in their hometowns do not dare to reveal their true identities due to family honor and the gossip of neighbors, leading them to seek opportunities elsewhere. They migrate from rural areas to urban centers or from one city to another to live authentically. Many of them become sex workers because this line of work offers them easy income. Others involved include students, workers, soldiers, drug addicts, street children, and the unemployed. “I usually seek out young people, like students from the provinces who move to the city for school but struggle financially, to flirt with and invite them out to eat, and then set conditions for trade. They need money and see it as an easy option, so they readily agree,” a 53-year-old MSM confessed.
Due to the lack of societal acceptance of homosexual relationships, MSM do not receive support, information on sexual health, or awareness of the risks of HIV/AIDS.
Experts argue that all interventions and policies concerning MSM must respect the diversity of this community. It is essential to involve MSM in the entire intervention process. Familiar locations for MSM should be used for intervention activities. Most importantly, there needs to be societal understanding of their identities. MSM express that they greatly need consulting services and friendly sexual health services tailored to them. They also seek societal acceptance of their sexual identities.
To reduce the risk of HIV transmission within the MSM community, there is a need to enhance condom usage skills, improve the quality of condoms, and diversify the methods of provision. Establishing friendly sexual health consulting services for MSM will also increase the number of individuals seeking testing and treatment.
Võ An
