On the eve of World AIDS Day, the Russian language social media network OK.RU hosted a live broadcast, Telling the Truth, as part of an education project that has been run by UNAIDS and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization since 2015. The show was organized in collaboration with a popular magazine, Domashniy Ochag, and was devoted to the use of condoms and the link to the HIV epidemic in eastern Europe and central Asia. 

During the broadcast, which was watched by more than 1 million people, experts and celebrities discussed the most common myths, misconceptions, difficulties and fears connected to condom use.

Before the broadcast, an online survey of 1050 people aged 18 to 60 years was conducted on what Russian Internet users think about protection against sexually transmitted infections and what they consider to be safer sex. The study found that 87% of respondents had had sex without a condom, with older respondents reporting higher rates of sex without a condom.

“HIV has already reached the general population in this region. Almost 70% of all new HIV infections have been linked to heterosexual sex in recent years. At-risk people include single women aged more than 35 years and men and women who no longer worry about contraception and therefore do not use a condom,” said Natalya Ladnaya, Senior Researcher at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Rospotrebnadzor. 

Among the reasons for unprotected sex, the respondents most often named “awkwardness of discussing it with a partner”, which was reported by 41% of the respondents. In addition, “trust in a partner” (35%), “discomfort during intercourse” (20%), “fear of spoiling romance” (31%) and “fear of being misunderstood by a partner” (19%) were listed among the reasons for not using a condom.

Appearing on the broadcast was Masha Godlevskaya, who has been living with HIV for 22 years. She works as a peer consultant for the EVA Association, which provides HIV services. She explained that many women who go to the EVA Association for a consultation are embarrassed to carry condoms because of the stereotype that having a condom available means that they are available and ready for sex.

“Both women and men are victims of this story,” said Ms Godlevskaya. “If a man insists on having sex without a condom, the woman should be ready to say: “I don’t want to. I don’t want to offend you, but no sex without a condom.””

“We help women believe in themselves, work with a psychologist, fight back against their abusers, build new relationships where they can discuss everything frankly. I want our women to be able to defend their bodies, their rights, and be able to take their lives into their own hands,” she added.

Vera Brezhneva, UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, noted that many women vulnerable to HIV were born in the time of the Soviet Union, when there was no promotion of safer sex. “I didn’t know about HIV at all. Most of us at that time were afraid of pregnancy only. We believed in love as if love protects you from everything. We were not told that a condom is not protection against men or women but protection against infections.”

Ms Godlevskaya shared her story of becoming infected with HIV. “I was 16 years old. He was my first love, and, as it seemed to me then, the last one. It was a serious relationship, there was trust and we knew nothing about the need to use a condom.”

Marina Travkova, a family psychologist and sex therapist, noted that adolescents are vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. “They need help. There is nowhere to get reliable information. I am in favour of compulsory sex education in high school and for condoms to be available in school toilets. I always remind my sons before they go out: wallet, phone, brain, condom,” she said.

For a significant part of the population, especially young people, the cost of condoms is too high, noted Ms Ladnaya. “We are discussing these issues with partners, and we hope that there will be government programmes to support the production of condoms. There are nongovernmental organizations that provide condoms for free, but I believe that they should be available at every step,” she said.

Discussing the perception that sex with a condom is worse than sex without one, the reason that people often do not use condoms, the panellists noted that comfort might be related to the quality and size of a condom, as well as insufficient knowledge of how to use a condom and lubricant correctly.

Grisha Tumanov, a journalist and blogger and author of the Man, Where Are You Going? podcast, commented on a viewer’s question: “Is a condom needed if it’s love, which presupposes mutual trust.” He noted that, “We don't have a culture of speaking on sensitive topics, what you expect from relationships, including sexual relationships. And love does not absolve one of responsibility. This does not happen in adulthood. You are responsible for each other.”