In third world countries young women are least likely to be able to negotiate abstinence or faithfulness of men who are likely to ignore abstinence. Condoms provide some hope but only if appropriate education can encourage regular, widespread use of them.

A well written article. Just a small observation: If “Condemnation and the suggestion that condoms increase the problem” refers to the pope’s remark on the Alitalia plane during his trip to Africa in March 2009, then it might be of interest what he actually said:

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, it increases the problem." (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29734328/ns/world_news-africa/).

Here apparently the “it” does not refer so much to condoms as to their (free) distribution (in Africa), which he - rightly or wrongly - sees as encouraging promiscuity, a no-no for the Church.

Today 1 December 2010 is World AIDS Day and although there is not much being said about HIV prevention in the Australia media today, gay marriage, US defence leaks and the Shark's third bride are the headlines, it is sobering to remember that,

"At the end of 2009 an estimated 20,171 people were living with an HIV diagnosis in Australia.

From the start of the epidemic until the end of 2009, there have been 29,395 diagnoses of HIV and 10,446 diagnoses of AIDS. Australia has recorded 6,776 AIDS deaths."
http://www.avert.org/aids-hiv-australia.htm

and HIV is on the rise in the over 55s.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/18/3041694.htm

“Research at the University of New South Wales found well-educated professional men in early middle age — those who experienced the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s — are most likely not to use a condom.”

Julie Robotham, “Safe sex by arrangement as gay men reject condoms,” Sydney Morning Herald, June 7, 2001. Data source: 2000 Male Out Survey, National Centre in HIV Social Research, Australia, as quoted in http://factsaboutyouth.com/posts/mental-health/

Maybe we should be looking in our own backyard today and seeing what can be done to encourage safer sex. Apparently it is not only the Pope who has an attitude problem to condom use.

I wonder if he is condoning the use of condoms by priests with small boys?

The Pope has not changed Catholic teaching . He has not said that heterosexuals having sex with other heterosexuals may use condoms . Catholic teaching remains that sex except between heterosexual married partners is sinful , regardless of condom use .
Between a male prostitute and another male , using a condom obviously does not prevent pregnancy , so that its use does not affect the Catholic teaching that the sex act is immoral . However , the use of a condom reduces the likelihood of HIV .

In the case where a male prostitute has sex with a woman the Pope is not saying that the sex act , using a condom , is morally correct . Catholic teaching remains that the act is immoral . Using a condom , to minimise HIV , neither increases , nor decreases , the degree of immorality .

jaylex

Like any good university academic, the author takes the feminist stance on this issue, which is to support the use of condoms.

In the hierarchy of risk control measures, condoms constitute personal protective equipment, and occur at the bottom of list of risk control measures. They are the least likely means of containing risk.

Never automatically accept anything a feminist says, and I think it has definitely approached the stage of never automatically accepting anything said by a university academic.

According to risk management, the Pope is 100% correct in not supporting condoms.

University academics and feminists should read their risk management manuals.