U.K. launches new
HIV campaign targeting gay men

The Terrence Higgins Trust, the United Kingdom's largest AIDS organization, this week launched a new HIV educational campaign targeting gay and bisexual men in the country. Trust officials say the number of gay men living in the U.K. has doubled in the past 10 years and that about 4% of them are HIV-positive. The new campaign hopes to make sexually active gay men realize that many of their peers are HIV-positive. The ads contain images of 25 men's penises with the tagline "If you've had sex with this many men, chances are one has HIV. HIV is closer than you think." The campaign also includes a Web site, specially designed condom packages, and a new edition of Exposed magazine.

"Prevalence of HIV among gay men has doubled in the last 10 years, but despite this only half of gay men say they know someone with HIV," said Will Nutland, head of health promotion at Terrence Higgins Trust in a statement. "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." (The Advocate)