Ho, April 04, GNA - Young men at a workshop in Ho on Tuesday blamed young women for encouraging unprotected sex, saying their girlfriends often objected to the use of condom.

This came up at an open forum during a one-day workshop on HIV/AIDS for young men in the municipality.

The workshop, which was organized by the Department of Women in collaboration with the National Commission on Women and Children, was on the theme, "The Role of Young Men In HIV Prevention and Control". The men complained that their girlfriends said they did not enjoy sex with condom and that it was only selfish men and cowards who used it.

They said it was not their desire to indulge in indiscriminate sex but that they were often pushed by the "dress to kill" attitude of young women.

Ms Lena Alai, Regional Director of the Department of Women, described the situation as unfortunate and said men as well as women were vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. She said cultural beliefs and expectations of manhood encouraged risky sexual behaviour in men that made their roles in the prevention of HIV/AIDS crucial.

Ms Alai said HIV/AIDS had been identified to be on the increase in the municipality especially between the ages of 15 to 49 and called on the young men to protect themselves.

Mr Gregg Amenuvegbe, Officer in Charge of HIV/AIDS in the Volta Region, said the prevalence rate of the disease in the municipality had gone high from 2 per cent in 2003 to 5.8 in 2004.