On August 5, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) invited singer-turned-TV-presenter Frankie Kao and his son to Ximending—a popular gathering place for the city youth—to engage the public in a friendly competition in condom use in order to encourage young people to practice safe sex and prevention of AIDS and STDs.  

According to the statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, as of the end of June this year, 4,376 people aged between 15-24 years-old in Taiwan are HIV positive. 54% or 2,343 of them contracted the disease within the past five years and most, 96%, contracted the disease through unprotected sex. The demographic of those living with HIV is getting younger and younger—and the need to communicate the message of AIDS prevention to young people becomes more pressing. This summer, the Red House Square in Ximending will host events promoting AIDS prevention and safe sex centered around the theme of “Safe online relationships for a well-spent youth”, while also urging parents to seriously address the issue.

Frankie Kao has kept his son informed on safe sex since his son entered adolescence. For instance, when enjoying a movie, Frankie would often take advantage of a suggestive movie scene to breach the topic. With the onset of the Internet, sex-related messages are pervasive and parents have the responsibility to recognize that reality and take an active approach to educating their kids, Frankie said. In addition, Frankie suggested that kids should learn from adults whom they admire and trust. For example, his son loves to play the piano, and looks up to his piano teacher. Sometimes Frankie would have to remind his son about certain aspects of safe sex, and would do so through his piano teacher to make sure the point was taken to heart.     

In addition to the youth-oriented advocacy events and activities promoting safe sex this summer, Taiwan CDC has also launched an online game called “Creature Detector ” to engage the youth through the internet by using a fun form of play to communicate messages about safe sex. The game asks “What kind of creature are you?” and uses an online assessment to determine the outcome. Users can then synthesize personal photos with various types of mythical creatures. Taking advantage of the picture-sharing trend among young people, users are encouraged to share their results, thereby attracting other participants and increasing participation. The online game has generated much buzz and discussion, and in just one month’s time, the game has attracted more than 10,000 new fans on the “1922 Epidemic Prevention Experts” Facebook fan page. “Creature Indicator” will conclude on August 28, when everyone participated in the game are automatically entered in a drawing to win an iPad. The website for “Creature Indicator” is http://2012aids.tw/.